Bonanza awaits consumer electronics companies this cricket season

Bonanza awaits consumer electronics companies this cricket season

MUMBAI: The cricket World Cup and IPL 4.0 are expected to bring big smiles on the faces of consumer electronics companies. In order to cash in as the cricket fever grows, they have come out with finance offers among other things.

According to Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) spokesperson Pradeep Kumar, the market size for Flat Panel Display is estimated to increase to 4.5 million units in 2011 on the back of the cricket season, up from 2.8 million units in 2010.
 
"The ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the biggest sporting event and as an industry we are certainly bullish on sales across verticals. However, the focus will be on the Flat Panel Display range (LCD + Plasma). We are expecting a good growth in TV sales and companies have launched various promotional offers in this segment. As the World Cup matches will be telecast in High Definition format, we are expecting growth in sales of HD Ready and Full High Definition TV as well," Kumar says.

Many companies expect their sales of flat panels to double during the cricket season compared to the same period last year. To celebrate the World Cup, Haier is offering a four-year warranty on LCD and LED models. It expects the cricket season to boost the sale of its television sets by 30 per cent. Haier is expecting to sell 75,000 units of LCDs and LEDs for the first quarter ending 31 March, says a company spokesperson.
 
LG is running its Infinia Cricket Fever Offer and is looking at selling around 30 per cent of its flat Panel TV sets during the cricket season. LG expects its flat panel sales to double during the cricket sesson compared to the same period last year. It is offering various goodies including a free Blu ray player with the purchase of a 3D LED TV. It is giving a finance scheme where a customer pays 11 per cent down payment and the rest in 11 installments with no interest.

LG India business head, home entertainment Rohit Pandit says, "As the World Cup matches will be telecasted in High Definition format, we are expecting growth in sales of HD Ready and Full High Definition TV as well. We are expecting a 100 per cent growth in FPD sales over the same period last year."

Samsung echoes a similar sentiment in terms of sales expectations, saying that the first six months of 2011 will account for close to 45 per cent of its flat panel TV sales thanks to the cricket season. During the cricket season it too expects sales to double compared to the same period last year. Samsung also offers zero per cent finance
 
Any customer buying a Samsung Flat Panel TV needs to pay Rs.1999 at the time of purchase and carry home his/her Samsung Flat Panel TV. The balance amount needs to be paid by the customer in 17 equal, interest free installments with no processing fee being charged.

Samsung India deputy MD R. Zutshi says, “Our Full HD Flat Panel TV along with the Dish TV HD DTH offer coupled with our attractive zero interest finance offer is a great value proposition for our consumers and is designed to provide consumers with a true to life, HD viewing experience. The bouquet of HD channels being made available to consumers by Dish TV will provide them the rich experience of HD as never before. Based on our consumer offers, we are looking at a 100 per cent jump in our Flat Panel TV sales during the promotion period."

Not to be left out, Videocon has launched the ‘Videocon Gold Cup‘ scheme. On every purchase of Videocon LCDs, LEDs, D2H Satellite LCD and Split ACs in this Cricket Season, customers get a scratch card which can provide them a chance to take home pure gold (22CARATE ) free. The scratch cards also promises other assured cash prizes up to Rs 8,000.

Videocon Group CMO consumer electronics and home appliances business Anil Arora says, “Videocon for the last 25 years prides itself in constantly engaging with its customers by offering unique experiences and value propositions that exceed market expectations. The “Videocon Gold Cup” Offer will delight our patrons who are passionate about Cricket."

The offer is valid till 2 April 2011. The company is also organising a free service camp for Videocon TVs and Air Conditioners till 15 February 2011.

All companies are unveiling new ranges of television sets capitalising on the fact that the World Cup will be shown on HD for the first time.

Toshiba has unveiled its range of Power LED TVs while Panasonic has reduced the prices of all its LCD television models by three per cent. A 32-inch Panasonic LCD TV is now available at nearly Rs 24,000.

As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Sony India has roped in Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand ambassador. It will splurge Rs 1 billion towards marketing even as the company is looking to sell 250,000 units of Bravia HDTVs during the cricket season.

Onida expects sales during the World Cup to rise by at least 40 per cent. It has worked out a finance scheme called ‘Pay per Inch‘ for customers purchasing an Onida LCD or LED TV. The per-day EMI outflow has been worked out to be equal to the screen size of the LCD/ LED TV. Like some of its rivals, Onida is also providing a zero per cent finance offer on all Onida LCD/LED TV models. These offers will be available till 31 March 2011.