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Hard Drive Market Update
Lead times have increased for a number of products, and pricing continues to fluctuate. While no one can predict future pricing with certainty, current market conditions suggest it's worth planning purchases earlier than usual.
Waiting for prices to fall may result in longer lead times or higher costs. If you have projects with firm delivery dates, placing orders sooner is the best way to secure supply.
We're not trying to create unnecessary urgency, but we also don't want our partners to be caught out. Based on what we're hearing from manufacturers and seeing across our supply chain, we'd rather help you plan ahead now than have to tell you later that stock isn't available or prices have increased.
Our recommendations
- Order early. Place orders as soon as possible rather than waiting. We are allocating incoming stock against back orders on a first-in, first-served basis.
- Give us advance visibility. Let us know about upcoming opportunities, even if they're not yet confirmed. The more accurately we can forecast demand, the better our chances of securing stock from manufacturers.
- Stay flexible. If you're open to alternative capacities or manufacturers, we may be able to offer additional options.
- Allow realistic delivery windows. Avoid committing to end customers on lead times that may not be achievable.
- Build in pricing contingencies. For projects with delivery several months away, consider including a price buffer or wording that allows for supplier price increases before delivery.
- Use quotation validity periods. Rather than leaving quotes open indefinitely, make them valid for 7–14 days.
- Reserve stock with a purchase order. Explain to customers that stock cannot always be held without a confirmed order while demand continues to exceed supply.
If you have upcoming projects or would like to discuss availability, pricing, or suitable alternatives, please get in touch. We're here to help you plan ahead and minimise surprises.
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