Tiny Computers said yesterday that unit sales increased 15 per cent in 2000, compared with overall UK market growth of 7.9 per cent.

Shipments for 2000 were "over 400,000" PCs in the UK, against 350,000 in 1999.

However, the PC builder/retailer says it is "realistic about the future of the PC market". For Tiny, this means it needs to sell more machines to second and third time buyers.

The company last month appointed Andrew Walwyn, the former MD of DX Communications, a leading British mobile phone retailer, to "revolutionise the Tiny brand".

First up, the company wants to tap more into second-time buyers - a sensible move, considering that each year, there are fewer first time buyers around to sell to.

Its internal research indicates that 61 per cent of first time buyers of Tiny PCs want to buy their second PC from the retailer only. With this target customer in mind, Tiny has launched the Generation2T line. It says it will also launch a new, unspecified range of products at the Ideal Home Exhibition in March.

Tiny sells computers through 140 showrooms in the UK. It has also established operations in the US and the Far East. ®