Aggressive Telemarketing Leads PC Connection Sales Boom

Fourth-quarter sales for PC Connection, Inc., Merrimack, NH, a direct marketer of personal computers and related accessories, increased by 32% for the fourth quarter of 1998 compared to the year ago quarter.

Net sales for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 were $220 million, compared to net sales of $167 million for the same time the year before. Total sales for the year increased 33% to $732 million versus $551 million in 1997.

The company attributed its sales growth to:

* An aggressive outbound telemarketing program, which generated $113 million in total net sales for the fourth quarter and $391 million for the year compared with $83 and $257 for the same periods in 1997

* A 205% increase in Internet sales for the quarter, which grew from $3.5 million to $10.6 million, while annual sales 205% to $10.6 million compared with $3.5 million for the fourth quarter in 1997. For they year, sales processed entirely online grew by 455%, from $5.2 million to $29.1 million

* A growth in systems sales, with fourth-quarter unit up 75% over the fourth quarter of 1997 and net sales up 41%. System unit volumes for the full year advanced 76% with net sales increasing 43%.