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Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Seth Lee Seth Lee New York, United States Last Updated: September 2024 NAICS 42343

Revenue

$403.8bn

2024

$403.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

153k

Businesses

6,816

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry analysis

A complex picture emerges for computer and peripheral equipment wholesalers — one marked by contraction and recalibration. During the current period, the industry faced headwinds that led revenue to dip at a CAGR of 1.6% to $403.8 billion in 2024 — dropping 0.6% in the year alone. This environment underscores an intensifying shift from bulky desktops to versatile and cost-effective alternatives like laptops and phones, resulting in softer demand for traditional wholesaler offerings.

Trends and Insights

  • Computer and packaged software wholesalers are adapting to the rapid evolution of tech. They're shifting towards additional services like virtual warehouses to combat the decline in third-party distribution as a result of digital downloads and SaaS. Despite the challenge posed by manufacturers selling directly, wholesalers leverage automation to enhance sales efficiency and maintain relevance.
  • Government organizations remain a critical market for wholesalers, prioritizing security and reliability over the latest innovations. This demand creates a steady revenue stream for older hardware, allowing wholesalers to leverage long-term contracts and trust-based relationships for financial stability.
  • Proximity to Silicon Valley, a tech innovation hub, benefits wholesalers in the region. Business rapidly update their hardware and buy new, high-profit products often.
  • Manufacturers’ software-as-a-service directly limits wholesale activity. Buyers can purchase software online, allowing them to reduce costs. Some manufacturers install software on computers purchased before they arrive, saving IT time.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $403.8bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Software distribution has become easier, but wholesalers struggle

  • Manufacturing companies have almost entirely adopted a software-as-a-service or digital download model, in which buyers can download software directly from the manufacturer, limiting the need for distributors.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Software changes will shape this industry

  • The availability of newer iterations of software and hardware, like cloud computing systems, will impact the amount of computer hardware, software and peripheral equipment this industry will produce over the period.

Biggest companies in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Tech Data Corp
17,692.8
629.1
3.6

To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Computers, Computer storage devices and Computer printers. Computers is the largest segment of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US.

Trends and Insights

Traditional computers fall in popularity due to technological developments

  • Computers remain a linchpin for the tech wholesaling market; their significance has not been diminished as they spur sales across various ancillary segments. Bundling strategies employed by wholesalers often include complementary technology pieces, which appeal to enterprises embarking on extensive IT infrastructure overhauls or updates.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The industry wholesales technological goods, from computers to related equipment. Many wholesalers have a wide span of downstream markets to which they wholesale their products and a range of suppliers from which they buy.

What's included in this industry?

Computer peripheral equipment wholesalingPackaged computer software wholesalingComputers wholesalingComputer disk drive wholesalingLoaded computer board wholesalingComputer motherboard wholesalingComputer printer wholesaling

Companies

Tech Data Corp

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Related Terms

SERVERDATA STORAGEPACKAGED SOFTWAREWHOLESALE BYPASSBRING YOUR OWN DEVICE

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 42343 - Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Computer and packaged software wholesalers are adapting to the rapid evolution of tech. They're shifting towards additional services like virtual warehouses to combat the dec...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Government organizations remain a critical market for wholesalers, prioritizing security and reliability over the latest innovations. This demand creates a steady revenue str...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Proximity to Silicon Valley, a tech innovation hub, benefits wholesalers in the region. Business rapidly update their hardware and buy new, high-profit products often.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Manufacturers’ software-as-a-service directly limits wholesale activity. Buyers can purchase software online, allowing them to reduce costs. Some manufacturers install softwa...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Major companies have to offer additional services to remain profitable and attract customers from wholesale bypass. Wholesalers are required to adapt to new market needs as t...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Tech Data Corp's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Tech Data Corp, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Regulations, particularly around electronic waste recycling and export controls, increasingly impact computer and packaged software wholesalers. Compliance is critical as who...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Improving conditions regarding supply chains in the chip sector benefit profit. As disruptions are resolved, transportation costs and client satisfaction are expected to rise...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States is $403.8bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in 2024?

There are 6,816 businesses in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States, which has declined at a CAGR of 2.8 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US market in United States?

The biggest company operating in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling market in United States is Tech Data Corp

What does the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US in United States include?

Computer peripheral equipment wholesaling and Packaged computer software wholesaling are part of the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Tech Data Corp.

How competitive is the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • There are no industries to display.

Complementors

  • Computer Manufacturing in the US
  • Computer Peripheral Manufacturing in the US
  • Computer Stores in the US
  • Software Publishing in the US
  • Operating Systems & Productivity Software Publishing in the US

International industries

  • Computer & Packaged Software Wholesaling in Canada
  • Computer and Computer Peripheral Wholesaling in Australia
  • Computer and Computer Peripheral Wholesaling in New Zealand
  • Computer & Peripheral Equipment Wholesaling in the UK
  • Information and Communication Equipment Wholesaling in Ireland

View all industries in United States

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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