Dell Computer Corp overtook Compaq Computer Corp to top the ranks of PC vendors in the UK during the second quarter, according to preliminary figures out yesterday from International Data Corp. It is the first time direct-seller Dell has beaten Compaq in sales to the UK, with an 18.7% market share to Compaq’s 15.5%. Dell shipped 43.3% more units compared to the year-ago period, whereas Compaq’s growth remained almost static, rising just 0.6%. Compaq did not please its resellers when it announced its plans to mimic Dell and sell some products direct.
Bringing up the rear, IBM Corp and Packard Bell/NEC both experienced unit growth in excess of 70% compared to the second quarter 1998, and came away with 6.5% and 6.3% of the market respectively. Hewlett-Packard Co slipped from joint third to fifth place, with a 5.8% share on 54.6% unit growth. The figures include sales of PCs, notebooks and servers.
