Karlsruhe, December 4, 2025 – The emerging memory shortage is now becoming clearly noticeable across the German IT channel. Analyses from the ITscope platform reveal a distinct increase in prices, particularly in the memory segment, accompanied by growing demand—especially for DDR5 modules. “We’re seeing the strongest movement in memory components,” says Dr. Oliver Charles, Managing Director at ITscope. “Demand is increasing, and order volume is growing even more significantly—a clear indication that memory products are not only being ordered more frequently, but also at higher prices.” While graphics cards and processors are seeing increased activity toward the end of the year, they are not experiencing a comparable price trend.
Retail Memory Hit Hardest – OEM Remains Stable
Memory solutions from retail brands such as Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, and Samsung are particularly affected. These vendors are experiencing noticeable increases in average purchase prices—often in the very product lines that are most in demand across the channel. OEM and server memory, on the other hand, remain far more stable. OEM memory—products manufactured directly for vendors or system integrators—continues to show significantly more consistent pricing patterns.
“We primarily see the effects on the ITscope platform, not the causes,” explains Charles. “However, market reports indicate that strong data center demand for AI hardware is shifting manufacturing capacity toward high-bandwidth memory. This can indirectly affect the availability of traditional DDR5 modules. One thing is certain: many memory products have reached a higher price level, and we do not expect any short-term relief.”
The price trend of a highly sought-after Crucial DDR5 module clearly illustrates the sharp increase in average purchase prices across the RAM segment—a trend that can be observed across many DDR5 models.
Average purchase price trends of selected RAM manufacturers throughout 2025. Retail brands such as Crucial, Corsair, Kingston, and Samsung show clearly rising cost-price trends.
Unreliable Supply Sources: Resellers Should Take a Closer Look
In volatile market phases, offers that appear unusually inexpensive or originate outside familiar supply chains become increasingly common. Charles warns against accepting such offers too quickly: “It is important that resellers rely on authorized supply sources and ensure that warranty and RMA processes are fully supported. Without that protection, the reseller bears the risk if problems arise.”
As a point of reference, he highlights the transparency provided by specialized B2B procurement platforms such as ITscope: “Only verified distributors and manufacturers sell through ITscope. Resellers can track price histories, inventory levels, and sales trends for individual products. In a market environment like this, that is a major advantage when it comes to realistically evaluating offers and making informed purchasing decisions.”
