“A recently published survey reported that as many as 50 percent of PC buyers who considered a Mac over the last 12 months actually ended up purchasing one,” Blane Warrene reports for MacNewsWorld.
“According to TechnoMetrica, a market research firm that advises IBM, Volvo and MasterCard, among others, Apple has the potential to increase its market share from its current 3 percent. However, Apple has to figure out a way to exploit its solid brand recognition among consumers so that consumers view Apple as a viable PC option, explained TechnoMetrica technology analyst Constantine Kambanis. ‘Apple’s name is quite strong, and many people think of Apple when they think of computers, but it seems likely that a significant segment of those who consider buying an Apple are unaware of what an Apple actually is. Once they find out, many of them end up buying a Dell,’ Kambanis told MacNewsWorld,” Warrene reports.
“Although 50 percent of potential Apple customers ended up purchasing an Apple, 22 percent purchased a Dell instead, the study showed. The study also noted that, although Apple sold 900,000 computers over the length of the study, it could have potentially sold 800,000 more during that time period,” Warrene reports.
Full article here.
WARNING: DON’T BE FOOLED BY STATISTICS!
Note: 50% of people who considered a Macintosh means they only looked at a sample of computer buyers who actually considered the Macintosh as a viable computing option. Those people include current Apple users and people who are considering switchers.
It does NOT include all those people who: a) Don’t know anything about Apple. b) Think Apple’s are not the same as PC’s, and therefore don’t consider it. or c) Have had little or no exposure to Macs and think that they are not what they’re looking for.
Now go out and ask all of your friends how many of them would ever have CONSIDERED an Apple Macintosh during their next computer purchase. I guarantee you the answer would be a mere fraction.
At my college, where there is a SIGNIFICANT percentage of Mac users (around 1/4, I think), ALL of the PC users I have spoken to calim they would never CONSIDER an Apple as an alternative. Meaning this statistic would allow for only 1/8 market share…
Statistics can be deceiving… Apple MUST convince the VAST MAJORITY to CONSIDER Macs before they can even gain any market share.
Let me get this straight. 50% of people who even considered buying a Mac actually ended up buying one. Soooo if we could just get 100% of Computer purchasers to to actually try out and consider a Mac then Apple would have 50% market share??? This is a very positive statistic.
I haven’t read the article, yet. Perhaps it addresses this issue…
It seems to me that the key is how many *current PC-owners* that considered a Mac as a replacement computer ended up buying one. The 50% figure doesn’t mean as much if it includes current Mac users contemplating and executing a new Mac purchase. In fact, if that percentage includes current Mac users then Apple is in big trouble.
If, indeed, the figure reflects potential switchers, only, then the clear message to Apple is to spread the word of Mac and marketshare will follow.
Apple, it’s simple. Offer a $299.00 computer online. Then, like Dell, ask “What are you going to do with this computer?” Then you add hard drive capacity, video ram, processor speed, software, RAM, connectivity, optical drive, monitor, et-cetera.
You don’t even need to build the $299.00 computer. You can sell the morons a $800 + computer every time and they’ll brag to their friends and colleagues that it only cost $299.00.
Bait and switch works, just ask Michael.
Aryugaetu, don’t you think it is a given that nearly all mac “computer buyers” become “users”? The os is great, the single source for hardware eliminates headaches, and its secure as hell. Do you mean that the high price of admission is necessary also?
jesus.. games? what a bloody waste of time, money, youth
The article notes that Apple had the SECOND-highest conversion percentage, with Dell the highest (a higher proportion of those who considered a Dell, purchased a Dell). That’s not bad for Apple, but clearly Apple can do better. As Russell noted, only a small fraction of computer buyers even consider buying a Mac. Hopefully, Apple can figure out a way to make the economics work for a low-end $599 tower, without cannibalizing too badly the rest of the models. They DO need to increase their marketshare to at least a healthy 10% or so, for lot’s of obvious reasons (e.g., the mac owner who wrote earlier about having to buy a Dell to take on-line real estate courses should NEVER have had to do that–and WOULDN’T if marketshare were a little higher).
Aryugaetu: you’re clueless.
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Less is More wrote:
“There are lies, damn lies and statistics.
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister
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Actually, this quote is attributed to Benjamin (1804-1881), who was also a British Prime Minister. The quote was then popularized when it was picked up by Mark Twain in his writings.
Sorry, the Benjamin above is Benjamin Disraeli.
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RE: Aryugaetu
What the he// are you talking about?? You’re telling me that if a bunch of people went out and bought a Mac, it would be so anti-intuitive that they’ll freak and cry? Hmmm…I guess we’ll get that soon with the iPod, since they were actually advertising…
Stop thinking that Apple is so healthy by NOT advertising. Even Jobs himself said that no computer system can survive without developers. Developers want to produce for a platform that will give them the bucks, and they’re watching marketshare for that.
Don’t think that large numbers of computers sold equals bad computers. Why can’t Apple make a nice, elegant headless iMac for $600 or $700?
I agree. A cheap(er) headless iMac would be a good thing.
All that this says is that if you are exposed to a Mac, you are reasonably likely to buy it.
What more can anyone ask for? Now all Apple has to do is ACT ON IT!
Will they? I am not sure that Steve wants to interact with the “great unwashed” . But their money is as green as anyone elses’, and they have a right to the best computer just like anyone else. (this is a preemptive strike to those of frequently say (paraphrased) : Apple buyers are superior, so if you don’t come and kiss my feet, I prefer not to have your business, etc. etc.)
re: ” Stop thinking that Apple is so healthy by NOT advertising.”
Just another simple truth that is profound. How can that idea possibly make any sense in the real world?
There could be something to the idea of selling a very base model, which could then be upgraded like a Dell. Call it “bait and switch” if you want, but it does offer a free choice, which means that you have an option not to do it once you see the total bill. And it does allow you to upgrade in steps as you can afford it. What is wrong with choice unless you are an elitist who thinks that the “people” cannot choose for themselves? Even if they can’t choose correctly, that is none of my business.
Las Vegas was once the playground to the elite. They learned that thars a mountain of moolah to be had if they catered to the ‘unwashed masses’ with their dimes and quarters.
Gates and Dell understand this. Steve needs to atleast recognize this, and adjust accordingly – even if only a little.
A micro G5 tower would have atleast one customer.
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Regarding Ary’s comments about new Mac buyers being long-term Mac buyers, he’s correct. I know two people that were new Mac buyers that BITCHED SO FSCKING MUCH after getting their new iMacs about how this was this or that was that. I don’t even talk to one of them anymore, that’s how much stress it put on our friendship.
Apple needs customers – that you the MacCommunity will help troubleshoot and answer questions to – from people that are atleast going to make an effort trying ‘to get’ the Mac.
The headless imac idea has been tossed around here a lot.
I don’t think that apple has to match dell on price or upgradeability. I think just offering something that doesn’t looks as radical as the emac or imac, has some lofty cpu number, and allows users to use a separate monitor (preferably with the ability to use dual monitors).
I don’t think $999 is too much to pay for a 1.8 ghz single g5 headless mac with 256 ram, 80 gig hd, dual head vid card (like every ATI card you can buy now), and super drive. The upgrade path is obvious but could be a tenth of the stuff that dell “offers”.
Can apple make enough money at that price? I dunno.
Can apple supply the demand that such a machine would generate?…….no friggin way, and that is the problem. Why create the ideal entry level computer when you cannot produce them?
If this was an on-line real estate course, why wouldn’t it work on a Mac? What was the company/product?
Don’t get me wrong–I’m not doubting what you were told. But I’ve also found that there’s lots of software out there for doing lots of things. Many institutions just choose the one they like and enforce it, even though there may be other programs out there.
For example, XMan mentioned Quicken. XMan, did you check out Accounts, iBank, Money, or QuickFinance?
The whole “There’s no software for the Mac” riff is pretty old. About the only time I’ve been excluded is for software which deals with external hardware (ie, programming the Turbo controller chip in my car) and games.
(By the way, has anyone noticed that their Apple Store’s software collection stinks? My local Microcenter in Orange County, CA, has much more Macintosh software than either of the two Apple Stores.)
For those of you that keep asking for cheaper hardware, you have to realize that when you buy that $299 machine from eMachines, you are getting a piece of shit product. So don’t expect a machine at $299, $599 or $799. Now, Joe may be right about the $999 headless, but it still needs a monitor. Joe, would you expect it to be expandable/upgradeable? Or do you realy want a semi-closed system like the iMac, but with a monitor port? That may be what we really need.
BTW, how many of your average computer users out there really upgrade their machine with a new processor or video card? I’m not talking about your game players, but the actual peole that would buy an entry level machine? Most just go buy a new machine when the old one can’t cut it anymore.
I took a real estate course 3 years ago, will not name the product, but it required Virtual PC and MSIE to run.
This is a subject that I have talked about in many forums many times.
I believe that Microsoft targets certain industries/markets for penetration. They make a proposal to companies which sounds good to those who do literally do not know of the existence of other operating systems and other browsers.
There are a lot of those in existence, not because the people in them are stupid, they just have never been exposed to any other alternative.
(won’t even make the comment about Mac/OSX, advertising, since there really isnt any)
Microsoft, in my opinion, comes to these industries/markets/companies and offers (aren’t they such nice boys?????) to supply the whole package, usually always web based, and I think even hosting. What a bunch of great guys, all your needs supplied in one easy solution.
Of course, it just happens to run only on Windows/MSIE. But most people don’t know the difference because THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO ANYTHING ELSE! (sorry for the outburst)
Here is an example from just today:http://www.baselinemag.com/article2/0,,1610850,00.asp
There will be more of this as Microsoft starts to fight a defensive action.
And it may very well blunt whatever Apple does.
What we need from Apple is more G5 ads blowing holes in the walls of houses in order to appeal to those 8 year old boys who are taking a Twinky break from their Xbox. (should have posted an irony alert in front of that one, sorry)
Jimbo i meant upgradeable before purchase, like a real gaming vid card, more hd, ram, an extra ethernet port, wireless capability…..whatever the majority of people might find attractive, that can be installed easily at the factory or Apple store and make some dough upon.
As far as the monitor goes, if you want switchers, the guy or gal probably already has a monitor, some of them very nice. Have him ditch the wintel, plug in the screen, and start mac’in.
If there were a raft of these entry level cool machines out there, there would, after warranty expiration, be plenty of owner upgrading, I bet. Especially by the switchers who might have an idea how to open the case and plug something in, figuring its better to spend $100 on an improvement than to spend $2K on the next step up in macs.
Beats me, and its all jaw flapping, because Steve hates production headaches and actually making something millions of people would want would be a real pain. Have a nice weekend!
I wonder why there aren’t more people out there porting those PC-only apps to the Mac? If I had a CS background, that what I’d be doing.
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“I took a real estate course 3 years ago, will not name the product, but it required Virtual PC and MSIE to run.”
Okay, so it was browser based. Makes a little more sense. So I’d imagine that Mozilla/Netscape didn’t work, either. Either that or they used some plug-in which didn’t have a Mac version.
I’m not sure I go along with your theory about Microsoft, though. Companies which don’t support Macintosh don’t think they’ll sell enough to justify development. As I’ve mentioned before, many companies I’ve worked for are surprised that they end up selling more PC versions when they develop a Mac version, because now they can get into certain markets where they couldn’t before because they weren’t cross-platform.
biz op, because there are 5 people that might buy them? can you count? habla market share?
Peter: re: real estate and other industries.
Many real estate sites can be opened by a mac browser but none of them will generate data base search information.
There are other educational real estate sites for licensing trainging that are not browser based, but again all of them are for Windows only.
re: ” many companies I’ve worked for are surprised that they end up selling more PC versions, etc.
I can’t disagree with your general principle, but my experience in these niche markets (which may consist of a million users) don’t have enough awareness of the Mac to even make a judgement call like you are talking about. I am not talking about sites, or applications that cater to the public, I am talking about things like real estate multiple listing data apps that are only used within the industry. This is where Microsoft is working, per the “baseline” example that I cited.
In these cases, the battles are over before anyone knows there might be another player.
Off topic question–as I was sitting at Barnes & Noble tonight doing some work while my wife shopped, my iBook suddenly did something uncomfortably familiar–black lines appeared through the screen, the screen started flickering, the lines turned white and the machine froze. I was able to reboot once, to recover the file I had been working on, and the machine died again, only faster. Went home, now it won’t boot at all. I was able to rescue my files by booting in firewire mode–nothing came on the screen, but at least the drive showed up on my cube. Obviously the logic board is fried.
Now comes the question–this is going to be second logic board replacement, on top of a combo drive replacement. And the one of the speakers keeps–or now kept–dropping out. I have concluded that I no longer want this fscking iBook. It is one of the ones in the fscked logic board serial number sequence.
Can anyone who has succeded in getting Apple to take one of these things back for credit to a new machine give me some tips on the best way to accomplish this? Take the machine to dealer or to Apple Store? (I showed the screen to the genius dude a couple of weeks ago back when it was only dimmer than it should have been, rather than dead, and he said, “It’s within specs.”) Politely request a replacement? Demand? Nag Apple’s customer support number?
Seriously–replace the drive, second logic board replacement, screwed speaker–and that assumes the screen dimness stems from the logic board.