No Upgrade For 60 Percent Of PC Owners - SurveyNo Upgrade For 60 Percent Of PC Owners - Survey

According to a report industry advisory company FIND/SVP, computer software developers and manufacturers of personal computers are responding to consumer upgrade cycles by implementing more detailed diversification strategies.

Computer manufacturers and software developers aren't the only companies forced to diversify in this market environment, according to Larry Fisher, FIND/SVP technology specialist and author of the Trend Report, "State of the PC." He suggests that software makers and Web site developers must also stay alert to the changing trend in upgrade cycles.

"Consumers simply don't have to upgrade their computers when the system and software they own already meet their needs," stated Mr. Fisher, who follows technology as a member of the FIND/SVP Business Information Center. "As the dynamics of the upgrade cycle change, companies with the best understanding of the installed customer base, and how and when to reach them most effectively, ultimately will come out on top."

A recent omnibus survey by Guideline Research, the market research arm of FIND/SVP, found that 60 percent of survey participants said they have no near-term plans to upgrade their PC. At the same time, less than 30 percent said they plan to upgrade or replace their PC within the next two years.

The study also found that nearly 40 percent of respondents said their PC ran on a Pentium 4 processor, while approximately 25 percent said they didn't know which processor their PC was using.