Special Focus
The Chic Factor
 PC vendors are increasingly targeting the new generation of tech-savvy women to drive notebook and netbook sales. But is the market big enough for niche selling?
By Ramdas S
A recent report elicits that the technology industry is anxious to tap into the female consumer, as women hold the purse strings to the more than $50 billion in gadget spending each year in the US alone.
In India too, consumer PC vendors have started identifying the fairer sex as a niche, fast-growing and decision-making segment for their mobile product lines. They are positioning products, chalking out marketing campaigns and introducing newer models in an attempt to woo women buyers. While they are yet to ascertain the right strategy to get the attention of the urban, young and mobile Indian woman, they are absolutely certain that the market is primed and waiting to be tapped.
Changing times
As recent as early last decade, PC-buying decisions were strictly made by the man of the house. Today, women are increasingly flocking at retail outlets to purchase notebooks and netbooks. George Mathew, Director of Bengaluru-based retail store Dgit Mart, says, “These days, the lady definitely has a bigger role in decision making. And younger women especially don’t appreciate if someone attempts to dumb down the technology for them.”
Alex Li, VP, Home and SMB Business, Lenovo India, agrees, “Though, traditionally, technology products have a higher acceptance among men, women are emerging as a strong buying segment. Gadgets have become lifestyle enablers rather than complex or technical products.”
According to Li, products like home theatres, mobile phones, cameras and computers are no more the domain of men. “Women today are no longer struggling to get a grasp of complex technology products; they are in fact actively seeking them—making them an important consumer segment. This change in dynamics is challenging every aspect of interface, right from product features to communication routes and messaging.”
While most PC vendors agree that women are a sizeable and an under-served market, there are no hard numbers to back this fact. Neither the vendors nor the channel partners have any conclusive ideas on what the size of the segment is or if there indeed are buying patterns.
Diptarup Chakraborti, Principal Analyst, Gartner India, says, “I would say 20 percent of consumer notebook users are women. It’s safe to estimate that roughly one out of two of them would have played a definite role in the purchasing decision. The other half would have had an influential male taking the call.”
According to Lenovo’s Li, about 10-15 percent of the Lenovo notebook buyers are women. But most vendors believe that it is difficult to even make an estimate. “Women are definitely playing a bigger role than before, but it is impossible to predict a number. Computer buying is still not an impulsive decision. So even the most affluent and experienced buyers do end up spending weeks and sometimes months deliberating and researching—which includes taking others’ opinions,” says Sivakumar N, Country Manager, PC Division, Toshiba India.
What women want?
According to Sivakumar, women buyers are no different from men buyers when it comes to seeking performance. “Both men and women end up looking for similar specifications for their PCs and notebooks. However, cosmetic aspects like design, color, shape and size do vary.”
Lenovo’s Li seconds that. “Women look for designs that are sleek, slim and easy to carry. They also look for attractive colors and easy-to-use features.”
Most PC vendors have launched notebook and netbook models, which they believe will catch the eye of the fairer sex. Notable features that the vendors ensure are attractive colors, and lighter and smaller form-factors.
About eight months ago, Dell partnered with a renowned nail lacquer brand OPI to launch 26 new colors and patterns in the Dell Design Studio series—specifically targeted at women. Mahesh Bhalla, Executive Director and General Manager, Consumer, Dell India, says, “Women these days look at notebooks as an extension of their personalities; hence we have been innovating with attractive and unique colors for the past two years. Our notebooks are lighter and sleeker, and this makes them attractive to the fairer sex.”
Sunil Dutt, Vice President and General Manager, Personal Systems Group (PSG), HP India, offers, “Today’s independent women want to be connected at all times. They shop for gadgets the way they do for clothes, shoes or jewelry, very carefully. And they want to make a style statement with their purchase.”
Apart from attractive form-factors, vendors are also stressing on ease of use to attract the fairer sex. Tadato Kimura, General Manager, Marketing, Sony India, says, “At Sony India, women consumers are always kept in mind while designing products. We take care to incorporate technology that is easy to use and upgrade. There is an increased emphasis on quick-start product guides. We also color code the cords and plugs so that non-savvy women can use them straight out of the box.” According to him, women pay attention to factors like where the keys are placed and how does the device fit in the hand.
Marketing blitzkrieg
PC vendors often sign on popular female celebrities and personalities as their brand ambassadors. While Toshiba signed noted Hindi film actor Vidya Balan to endorse their entire range, Sony roped in leading lady Kareena Kapoor to promote their Vaio notebooks. Lenovo too invited former beauty queen and actress Gul Panag to launch its latest series of consumer PCs and notebooks.
Speaking about the rationale behind it, Sony India’s Kimura, says, “Our latest campaign with Kareena Kapoor, Go Vivid focuses on her exuberance and vivacious personality. It establishes a direct connect with the vibrancy of our Vaio E-series notebooks. We actively involve our brand ambassadors in marketing activities and that acts as an influencer in buying patterns.”
Gartner’s Chakraborti, however, does not believe that roping in a female celebrity influences the buying decision. “Vendors should refrain from spending heavily on brand ambassadors, especially if they are targeting such a niche segment. Obviously Toshiba’s move with Vidya Balan did not click, as it signed on cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador just recently.”
Dell’s Bhalla concurs, “As a policy, Dell does not associate brand ambassadors to target consumers. They could even limit reach and association to a certain section of the market.” However, Bhalla does emphasize that it is important to create campaigns that will get extra attention from women. Dell India, he says, is considering several below-the-line activities to create excitement around some of its netbooks and notebooks targeted at the women buyer.
The celebrity connect apart, vendors are making several attempts to sway the women buyer. Lenovo India is putting finishing touches to its new campaign called Fun to position its Ideapad-S series as a women’s laptop.
More than tech
However it’s not just the PC vendors who have women on their mind. IT accessory manufacturers are keen too. Popular PC accessories manufacturer Targus has introduced at least one SKU targeted at women for each of its carry case range. “Women represent an important and probably the fastest growing consumer segment for us,” explains Sukumaran Pallikara, General Manager, Targus India.
Bengaluru-based retail expert Jatin Gupta, says, “Often retailers bundle in non-competing brands to attract women. There is a possibility that vendors could place colorful and chic notebook models next to a cosmetic brand or women’s accessories counter at a mall in the future.”
The immediate future will bring on exciting action in the niche market for products targeted at the fairer sex, but the question still remains: Will it work? |