» Hardware Market Size Blog

Data Loss

December 1, 2011 — The Editors

That sinking feeling… we have all probably been there, face to face with a computer we count on that has begun to act up. The loss of data resulting from computer hardware failure, software corruption or even human error, is painful and costly. Measuring the loss is a difficult task but one that was undertaken by Dr. David M. Smith and reported on in the article from which we source today’s market size post. A full citation is below.

Specifically, the market size presented here is the estimated annual loss to businesses in the United States due to data losses on PCs and laptops. It dates back to 2003 but it provides us with a scope for the problem and a scope that we know has only grown. For further details, check the source article which defines things clearly.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2003
Market size: $18.2 billion
Source: David M. Smith, “The Cost of Lost Data,” Graziadio Business Review, 2003, available online here.
Original source: Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University
Posted on December 1, 2011

Posted in Computing, Digital Distribution, Hardware, Information Technology. 3 Comments »

Compact Disks

August 26, 2011 — The Editors

Compact disks, or CDs, appeared on the recording media scene and rapidly became the standard, demand for them growing in leaps and bounds. But their position as market leader was a passing thing. As a digital recording media they are still used but in ever smaller numbers, as the graphic shows. Part of the decline in production is the result of production going overseas. But a shift in how we record and store digital information is the primary cause for the decline of CDs.

Today’s market size is the value of U.S. manufacuturer shipments of CDs in 2009. These values refer to blank CDs, to the storage media and not products later sold and distributed on that compact disk media.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 2009
Market size: $4.27 billion dollars
Source: “Table 1139. Recording Media—Manufacturers Shipments and Value: 2000 to 2009,” Statistical Abstract of hte United States: 2011, Page 716, January 20, 2011, available online here.
Original source U.S. Census Bureau

Posted in Computing, Digital Distribution, Hardware. 3 Comments »

Hardware Merchant Wholesalers

February 8, 2011 — The Editors

Wholesalers of hardware in the United States have seen tough times in the last decade which is somewhat surprising given the robust nature of the construction business during the period in question, 1997 to 2007. In fact, on the retail side of the business, hardware stores and home improvement centers saw growth over this period. It is worth noting that this industry saw some growth between 2002 and 2007, during the height of the housing boom. We provide market sizes data on this industry for all three census years to show this down up cycle. Despite the increase in sales from 2002 to 2007 they did not reach back to the 1997 level. If we look at inflation adjusted dollar sales, this industry’s sales in 2007 were 21% lower than in 1997.

Those involved with the wholesaling of hardware—defined for this market by the Census Bureau as “establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of hardware, knives, or handtools,” [NAICS 42-3710]— may be suffering from the rise of the big box retailer who in many cases deals directly with the manufacture to obtain merchandise. But, we will leave a closer look at retailers until next week.

Geographic reference: United States
Year: 1997, 2002 and 2007
Market size: Number of Establishments: 9,473; 6,841 and 6,921 respectively.
Market size: Sales: $44.06; $32.83 and $43.90 Billion respectively.
Market size: Employment: 110,963; 81,734 and 88,859 respectively.
Source: “Sector 42: EC0742I2: Wholesale Trade: Industry Series: Preliminary Comparative Statistics for the United States (2002 NAICS Basis): 2007 and 2002,” 2007 Economic Census, available online here. The data from 1997 are from the 1997 Economic Census, after conversion of the data to a NAICS 2002 basis.
Original Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.