While mobile formats grab headlines, business desktops remain a resilient and profitable category for retail chains. European market data from Q2 2026 shows Retail Chains outperforming Small and Medium Resellers (SMRs) in revenue growth across several key territories.

Retailers are well-positioned to win where localised hardware failures and immediate office setups demand speed. Buyers cannot always wait for typical reseller lead times. Holding pre-configured business desktops on physical shelves, priced tightly in the €500–€600 window, allows retailers to capture urgent SME upgrades on the spot.

Performance varied sharply by country across the second quarter.

In Germany, retail chains recorded a +4.1% revenue bump in business desktops with an average selling price of €587. SMR desktop revenues in the country dropped by -24% over the same timeframe. UK retailers saw a similar pattern, managing +2.2% revenue growth and a +4.8% unit lift by keeping prices around €514, while British SMR revenues slid by -7%.

Italy proved to be an exceptional growth environment for everyone. Retail desktop revenues surged +73% on a +54% unit spike, alongside a +57% revenue gain for SMRs.

Price positioning can dictate these outcomes. In Spain, retail business desktop revenue fell -8%. Local SMRs captured stronger demand, growing revenue by +21% after setting competitive average prices of €530, down 2.4% year-on-year. France saw an overall collapse in workstation procurement; retail desktop revenues dropped -74%, while SMR revenues fell -24%.

For many SMEs, competitively priced off-the-shelf hardware, with immediately available units, is the solution they most need. Keeping stock available locally gives retail chains an explicit edge over traditional reseller channels.

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