Canalys Polls Show Channel Optimism Heading Into 2024

Two new Canalys polls point to optimism in the channel for profitability and revenue growth in 2024.

The surveys were conducted via Candefero, the online channel partner community created and run by Canalys. (Informa Tech owns both Canalys and Channel Futures.)

Canalys chief analyst Jay McBain said the strength of partners’ confidence in 2024 is surprising given macroeconomic headwinds, but does follow a historical trend.

Canalys' Jay McBain

"This same optimistic sentiment was also there in 2008 and 2001 when the technology industry pulled the world out of recession and channel partners were the tip of the spear,” he said. “With almost two-thirds of partners looking at revenue and profit growth, they are busy hiring (as vendors laid off 489,000 people in 2023) and investing in marketing (while vendors are pulling back).”

Canalys Polls Predict Channel Growth

When asked how they expect their company profitability to perform in 2024, 26% expect growth of more than 10% and 34% expect growth of 1-10%. Nineteen percent expect profitability to be flat year over year, 10% expect a 1-10% decline, and 11% expect a more than 10% decline.

Some 245 partners participated in the Canalys poll. Among them were resellers, service providers, SIs, distributors and more in North America, Latin America, EMEA and APAC.

In a separate poll, when asked how they expect their revenue to perform in 2024, 34% expect growth of more than 10% and 29% expect growth of 1-10%. Seventeen percent expect profitability to be flat year over year, 8% expect a 1-10% decline, and 11% expect a more than 10% decline.

Some 285 partners participated in that second Canalys poll.