PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Netbook theft rates are climbing by as much as 25 per cent each year, according to new research.
The study, by insurance firm Supercover, also found that 60 per cent of netbooks are not covered by an insurance policy.
"Netbook theft is growing at 25 per cent a year, but our research indicates that around 60 per cent of netbooks are not covered by insurance – this should be a concern for the owner, and an opportunity for PC retailers and repair shops to provide a genuinely valuable added-value product or service," said Supercover’s Carmi Korine.
The firm says that netbook usage and sales are “rocketing” due to the entry-level prices for the products. Phone operators are now bundling netbooks in with mobile phone contract deals.
"Netbooks are more steal-able than just about any other piece of tech kit. They are small and easily snatched from bags or bar tables and then hidden, and they
don’t have the built-in disablement feature that kicks in when a mobile phone, for instance, is stolen," the firm claims.
The insurance group says that PC retailers have a “big opportunity” in offering cover on the products they sell to customers.
Supercover has a gadget insurance policy which can be white-labelled into retailers, with the firm claiming that the insurance cover can “typically generate around £30,000 profit for each store selling it over a 24-month period.”
The alluring statistic was placed under the assumption that two insurance policies are sold each day over a 25-day working month.