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Mobiles top sales of electronic goods
Mobile phones are the top selling products of all electronic goods in Laos, according to a local supplier.
K-Plaza General Manager Mr Phonexay Phomphakdy said “I estimate that among electronic products, mobile phones account for over 60 percent of our sales.”
Mr Phonexay said the growth in this product line could be attributed to the growth of the telecom industry in Laos.
“The more that telecom operators expand their networks, the better the mobile phone business,” he said.
Mr. Phonexay said buyers of mobile phones were not limited to urban areas, but were also growing in number in the provinces, even in remote areas wherever a mobile signal was accessible.
“As more telecom companies offer special promotions, some people have more than one mobile, especially in towns.”
“Mobile phones are good business right now, not only at K-Plaza but generally,” he added.
Based on purchases made at K-Plaza, the most popular brand is Samsung, followed by Nokia and LG, he said.
“Samsung is getting more popular because they have more variety; they release about 30 different models at a time.”
“Another reason is that the price of Samsung products is relatively low compared to other brands of similar quality,” he said.
“Another factor is that Samsung does more marketing in Asia, while other brands might focus on other areas.”
Mr Phonexay said K-Plaza buys about US$100,000 worth of mobile phones each month.
All brands of mobile phone can be sold in Laos, he said. “Expensive brands like Iphone tend to appeal to certain clients such as businessmen, wealthy people and those who like a touch of luxury.”
“I think the market for mobiles is still bright as the number of telecom companies keeps expanding and growing.”
In Vientiane, there are many companies authorised to sell various brands of mobile phone. There are now specialised mobile centres such as the Nokia centre, and those in Xang Chieng market, the ASEAN Trade Centre and the Morning Market.
Currently there are four telecom companies in Laos. Since the country opened its doors to the industry, these companies are competing to introduce and offer a variety of products along with more competitive service charges.
The four telecom operators are Lao Telecommunications Company, Enterprise Tele-communications Lao, Star Telecom and the Millicom Lao Company.
Vientiane Times
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