Samsung changes focus from IT peripherals to IT essentials

Samsung does not want to be known as a peripherals company any more. It has changed its focus from IT peripherals to IT essentials. "What this means is that Samsung is plunging itself headlong into convergence products," says Vivek Prakash, AGM, Samsung Electronics India.

To convey the change in focus to the marketplace, Samsung is launching a major consumer promotion program. Consumers will be provided with attractive bundling of products, which Vivek describes as "value++ packs".

It recently announced a ‘Printer Partner Program’ to reward its long-term channel partners. The program will provide channel partners with additional marketing support and benefits. Samsung has been marketing its laser printers ML 500A in India for the last one year.

Keeping in mind the aesthetic taste of consumers, Samsung has major plans to come out with colorful products. Be it monitors, CD ROM drives, hard disk drives or digital cameras, all products will roll out with attractive colors to meet the consumer demand.

The company also launched the first-ever, nationwide free service campaign for all Samsung IT and telecom products sold in the country starting August 18 to August 31. The company had earlier in January 2000 held a free service campaign for its consumer electronics products.

"The phenomenal response that we got for our free service campaign held in January has encouraged us to carry out free service campaign for our IT and telecom products," says K S Kim, MD.

The company is targeting a sales turnover of Rs 800 crore this year and Rs 2,300 crore by year 2003.