PC shipments drop worldwide as rising costs hurt demand

Worldwide personal computer shipments experienced a significant downturn during the third quarter of 2026. According to data from Omdia, shipments of workstations, notebooks, and desktops dropped by 21.2 percent year-on-year, totaling 58.1 million units. IDC reported a comparable decline of 20.1 percent, reaching 62.7 million units. This contraction follows an earlier period in the year when customers accelerated orders to avoid expected costs, resulting in excess inventory and diminished demand as the third quarter progressed.

The slump is largely attributed to rising costs caused by a shortage of AI-driven memory components, which has led many users to retain their current hardware rather than upgrading. This market shift deviates from typical seasonal trends, as the usual increase in demand during the back-to-school period failed to materialize. Consequently, the industry faces a period of instability that may necessitate adjustments to business processes, specifically regarding how organizations manage, transmit, or document invoices and tax-related reporting.