PC World is considering extending price-watching software used in its business-to-business sales arm to its retail operation.

PC World Business, which provides PCs and support services to small companies, has recently upgraded its Pricewatch software to track the prices of similar or equivalent products offered by its competitors.

Now the company is considering extending the use of the technology to its retail business, allowing stores to react to prices offered by high-street rivals.

'It is a very valuable tool that saves us a lot time going out and checking competitors' prices manually,' said David Gould, PC World Business trading director. 'We have spoken to our colleagues in PC World retail and web site, and it is certainly a consideration to use it there, too.'

The software, from supplier Igentica, helps business product managers understand the commercial impact of a decision to discount products, create bundled deals or make special offers.

'It also allows us to be consistent in product pricing to stay competitive, but within our own margins,' said Gould.

The system has been expanded to the entire product management group. New reporting functions have allowed the company to anticipate demand in particular product areas by looking at the pricing patterns of other competitors, as well as to prepare for seasonal trends.

'Product managers can now take action on a lot more data rather than use the software in their own discrete product areas,' said Gould.

'It not only serves the product management group but all of the business, internally, to show how competitive we are on price.'

PC World Business has been able to use the software to benchmark its top 10 market-selling products against its own prices, either by product or by competitor, in much more detail.