NPD: Small and midsize business tech spending to increase

As the economy continues to recover, and companies are hiring new workers, an increasing number of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) expect to see their spending habits also rise. Around 57 percent of businesses plan to make a tech purchase sometime in the next 12 months a 4 percent increase over the previous quarter, according to the NPD Group.

Meanwhile, tech companies are pushing PCs, tablets, and laptops in the SMB sector, at a time when vendors are offering extremely competitive pricing. Companies purchasing PCs are finding a great buyer's market, in which PCs are affordable - and last longer - as OEMs continue to struggle to entice many customers to upgrade.

Here is what Stephen Baker, NPD VP of industry analysis, said in a statement: "Small and medium businesses of all sizes expressed their intent to increase spending in both the short and long-term. As is typical, a businesses' normal tendency is to limit spending in the short term, yet be more optimistic about their spending plans over a 12-month period. With continued robust sales growth in NPD's Distributor and Commercial channel tracking services where we saw revenue increase 9 percent in the first quarter, it is clear that intention and action are not always in sync."