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Consumers start to see the light
Energy-saving equipment has received a boost in the market in response to increased electricity prices this summer, businesses in Ha Noi report.
The owner of a local electrical shop said demand for compact lights from 7-20 watts had doubled compared to the same period last year at her shop. The lower wattage bulbs consume less electricity than traditional filament lights, which generally range from 40-100 watts.
Nguyen Thi Hoa, owner of a shop on Phung Hung Street, said fewer people were buying filament lights, even though they were four or five times cheaper than the compact options.
Her shop had sold less than 100 filament lights, but thousands of compact bulbs had fled from her shelves, she said.
Staff at the Viet Long Electronics Centre in Ha Noi said most of their customers were paying more attention to energy-saving products, especially air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines.
Nguyen Le Minh said he paid an extra VND1 or 2 million (US$58-116) for an energy-saving air conditioner because the money he would save by using less electricity would add up to more than that.
Hoang Quang Tuan said that although he was unsure about how much energy an electricity-saving air conditioner would actually save, he chose to buy one anyway.
Like many people in the market for a new air conditioner, Minh and Tuan chose to purchase one made with a foreign trademark.
"I trust products from famous makers like Panasonic from Japan, or the lower-priced LG when I have to pay more than VND5 million ($290) for something; I must consider a good trademark," said Minh.
On the other hand, buyers of compact lights seem to prefer domestic products.
Local sellers said about 70-80 per cent of buyers choose Viet Nam-made bulbs. The remaining 20 per cent or so seem to choose Chinese products, even though the Vietnamese products are often more expensive than their Chinese counterparts.
The price for Vietnamese products is often 20-30 per cent higher. For example, a foreign-made 7watt compact light is sold for VND18,000 ($1), while Vietnamese Rang Dong products sell for VND22,000 ($1.2) each.
According to most shop owners interviewed in Ha Noi, Vietnamese products gained customer trust because they give off good light, save energy, are durable and there are multiple options.
VietNamNet, Viet Nam News
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