Ramdas S, CRN, July 11, 2011, 1145 hrs
After announcing price cuts on select models up to 15 percent, Toshiba India has announced one of the most aggressive channel incentive program with very low entry barriers.
The vendor would provide a 19 inch LCD TV to any partner selling seven laptops in July. A partner selling 21 notebooks gets a 32 inch LED TV, while 50 notebooks would provide the partner with a 420 litre refrigerator along with the 32 inch TV.
“Toshiba's price cuts and product positioning has been very aggressive. Over the past three months, we feel that it has become the No 1 note bookbrand in terms of volumes in Kerala. It's a Japanese brand, and customers are accepting the product with both hands,” said Sampath Kumar, CEO of Positive Systems.
“Partners in Kerala tell us that one out two notebooks sold last month was from the Toshiba stable, and if that's true we are indeed very happy. We have finally got the product positioning perfect for the Indian market,” said N Siva Kumar, General Manager, Toshiba India. “Next month we would be launching our new branding campaign which would feature cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. We are on track to capture 10 percent of the Indian notebook market.”
Sivakumar said that the schemes are irrespective of which model of laptop the partner sells. “We have a laptop model that's as low as Rs 19,000 exclusive of taxes to a customer. Even if you sell just seven this month, you can take home a TV that's retailing at around Rs 15,000.”
Bengaluru, where Toshiba used to sell less than 500 units a month, has seen a growth at 300 percent says Dinesh Nair, Vice President (Karnataka), of Aldous Glare Trade and Exports. “Toshiba has started offering very aggressive schemes, onsite warranty and prices that are today even lower than that of Acer. Last month we ran a scheme where around 15 partners flew to Bangkok and four to Australia. This month's scheme should bring in more partners to sell Toshiba.” |