Computer & Office Equipment Distributors NAICS 423420, 423430
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Industry Summary
The 7,300 computer and office equipment distributors in the US serve as middlemen between manufacturers and retailers/resellers and end-users. Major revenue categories include computers, computer peripheral devices, office equipment, and computer software. Office equipment includes copiers, point-of-sale terminals (POS), automated teller machines (ATMs), cash registers, mailing machines and check handling machines. Companies may also provide services, such as repair, maintenance, technical support, systems assembly, systems integration, and training.
Rapidly Changing Technology
The IT arena is characterized by rapid change in technology and evolving industry standards and product specification requirements.
Price-Based Competition
Intense price-based competition in the information technology products and services market creates consistent pressure on margins.
Recent Developments
Jul 1, 2025 - Commercial Bankruptcies Increase
- Total US commercial bankruptcy filings increased 1% year over year and 8% month over month in May 2025, according to Epiq AACER, a provider of US bankruptcy filing data. Computer and office equipment distributors may be impacted by changing expenditure on equipment repair due to bankruptcy filings. Commercial chapter 11 filings increased decreased 4% year over year but increased 62% month over month in May. “The sharp uptick in overall commercial chapter 11 filings in May 2025 underscores the ongoing economic pressures businesses face, from elevated borrower costs, potential tariff impacts and geopolitical uncertainty,” said Michael Hunter, vice president of Epiq AACER.
- Some electronics products imported to the US have been exempted from President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs, according to US Customs and Border Protection. Profit margins of computer facilities management services may be compressed if tariffs are applied to these products in the future. The exemption, which comes after the Trump administration imposed a minimum tariff rate of 145% on Chinese goods imported to the US, does not include the 20% tariff on Chinese goods for the country’s alleged role in the fentanyl trade. Smartphones, computer monitors, and various electronic parts are among the exempted products. The exemption applies to products entering the US or removed from warehouses as early as April 5.
- Workplace occupancy, an indicator of demand for office equipment, was 52.8% for the seven-day period ending on June 25, down from 54.3% for the seven-day period ending on June 2, according to data gathered from swipes of access control cards in buildings with security systems provided by Kastle Systems. Occupancy has struggled to remain above the 50% mark since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic despite attempts by many organizations to bring employees back. The Dallas, TX, metropolitan area had the highest occupancy for the seven-day period ending on June 25 at 61.3%. The Philadelphia, PA, metropolitan area trailed all others tracked at 42.7%.
- Computer and office equipment distributor industry employment increased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased significantly during the first five months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer and office equipment industry sales are forecast to grow at a 3.2% compounded annual rate from 2024 to 2028, slower than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Professional and commercial equipment distributor inventories remain significantly above pre-pandemic levels.
Industry Revenue
Computer & Office Equipment Distributors
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average computer and computer peripheral distributor operates out of a single location, employs fewer than 20 workers, and generates about $46 million annually. The average office equipment distributor also operates out of a single location and employs fewer than 20 workers, but generates about $18 million annually.
- The computer and office equipment distribution industry consists of about 7,300 firms that employ about 306,000 workers and generate about $290 billion annually.
- Computer and computer peripheral distributors account for 73% of firms and 88% of industry revenue.
- The industry is concentrated; the top 50 computer and computer peripheral distributors account for about 78% of category revenue and the top 50 office equipment distributors account for about 75% of category revenue.
- Large companies, which include Ingram Micro, Tech Data, and SYNNEX, may have international operations. Computer and office equipment manufacturers may have distribution operations.
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Computer & Office Equipment Distributors Industry Growth
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