NPD Group’s Weekly Tracking Service, as reported by AppleInsider, shows that sales between November 18 and December 22 were lower in 2012 than 2011.
Even though overall sales numbers declined, the article goes on to discuss the silver lining for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL):
The average selling price of MacBooks was up nearly $100 from a year prior to $1,419.
According to the official report by NPD, which you can see here, Apple and its MacBook line were not alone. Here is some information from the report discussing consumer electronic sales in general:
Overall sales declined 7 percent with consumers spending $13.7 billion dollars.
Forty-six percent of sales took place in the first two weeks, the highest share in the past four years, while the last three weeks of sales accounted for 54 percent of sales. Sales for the first two weeks declined 3.7 percent over 2011 while the last three weeks fell more than 11 percent.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday becoming more and more popular with each passing year, sales are beginning to pick up during the early part of the holiday rush.
Stephen Baker, vice president, industry analysis at NPD, added the following:
For the third consecutive year sales trends worsened in the later part of the holiday season. The hyped-up promotion of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and now Thanksgiving Day has proven remarkably effective in moving sales into the early part of the holiday season. Trends like online shopping and self-gifting have intensified the focus on the more event -driven early part of the holiday season.
Let’s get back to the underperforming MacBook from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). As noted above, the average sale price increased but at the same time overall sales decreased by six percent.
Is there any good explanation for this? The folks at AppleInsider have a theory:
The decline in domestic MacBook sales could be explained at least in part by the fact that the only new portable Mac released by Apple ahead of the holiday shopping season was the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. The rest of Apple’s MacBook lineup received updates over the summer, while the company’s fall refresh focused on desktops, with a redesigned iMac and updated Mac mini.
In other words, sales of the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) MacBook may have been better if the company had saved its updates for later in the year.
What are your thoughts on this report? Do you feel that the information from the NPD Group is accurate?
Check back here for more updates on Apple Macbook Sale.
Here are a few additional Apple news stories for your enjoyment:
Apple Inc. (AAPL) May Be Calling on Gorilla Glass 3
Apple Inc. (AAPL): Is the Waze Deal Dead?
And the Survey Says: Apple Inc. (AAPL) Growing its Share of Mobile Market
