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iPad proves a flop in Laos
The iPad, a tablet computer, has proved popular in many countries around the world but failed to sell in Laos despite coming on the market several months ago.
Many electronics suppliers in Vientiane do not keep iPads in stock, rather waiting until a customer has placed an order before ordering one.
“I can only sell a few each month and I don't keep any in stock. Only foreigners have brought one,” said Ms Dalivanh Thongsavanh, a sales administrator at Lada & Co.
Ms Dalivanh's business supplies all brands of computers, with most customers working in the hydropower, mining or medical sector. The company also supplies to electronics and IT dealerships in Vientiane and Luang Prabang province.
Another major electronics and IT distributor, Micro-Info, has also struggled to sell iPads since the tablet computer came on the market in Laos.
Micro-Info Director Ms Niravone Visonnavong said “The product has not sold well in Laos because it doesn't support Lao language or script. It's popular in other countries because it mainly uses English.”
The K Plaza in Vientiane stocks electronics products and IT equipment from major international brands such as Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic and Sanyo.
The store does not currently sell iPads but expects to do so in the near future as it is now in negotiations with the producer.
“We hope to import the device directly from the producer. We will not buy it from a dealer,” said the centre's General Manager Mr Phonexay Phomphakdy,
The centre hopes to import from the producer to enable it to ensure warranties for the device. “There have been cases of some importers facing warranty problems because they imported products from dealers in other countries,” Mr Phonexay said.
The cost of an iPad, starting from US$499, according to Apple's website, is also a turn-off for Lao consumers.
Lada & Co sells the device for between 4.9 million and 5.9 million kip, depending on specifications.
However, laptop and notebook computers are selling well in Laos, boosted by falling prices which have dropped by 30-40 percent since 2009. At present a notebook computer can be brought for as low as 2 million kip.
The best selling brands at Lada & Co and Micro-Info are Acer, HP and Lenovo, while Samsung and Sony devices are more popular with shoppers at K Plaza.
iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large multi-touch screen.
It is a tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple, primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including e-books and periodicals, movies, music, games and web content.
Apple released the iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in the first 80 days after release.
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