Samsung wants 30% handset slice
- By: SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN
- Published: 9/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: Business
Samsung has set itself an ambitious target of capturing a 30% share in the Thai mobile handset market on sales revenue of nine billion baht this year.
The South Korean company had a 20% share in the Thai market at the end of last year, up 63% from a year earlier and second to the long-time market leader Nokia. It sold more than two million units with revenue of six billion baht.
Manatase Annawat, senior manager of Thai Samsung Electronics Co, said the company expected to sell between 2.5 million and three million handsets in 2009 with a revenue target of up to nine billion baht.
Overall handset demand would increase by 10% to 10 million units this year, driven by the growing popularity of high-end touch-screen handsets and low-end entry-level phones in the provincial markets.
The local handset market is expected to be worth 30 billion baht this year.
''We are confident we can build on the last year's success, helped by the planned introduction of a full product lineup with up to 50 models, aggressive marketing activities and our direct-sales approach, bypassing distributors,'' he said.
Samsung last year overhauled its distribution by taking over the task itself, resulting in higher margins for retailers when they sell Samsung phones. The company now has 65 master hubs with more than 300 retailers nationwide.
Mr Manatase said he believed that the local handset market would not be affected by the slowing economy as the sector still witnessed overall double-digit growth in sales volume last year.
While sales in the provincial market are a priority, margins are low because most of the models sold are low-priced units. As a result, Samsung will also heavily promote its high-end segment to lift its average unit price.
It also will continue focusing on its strength of innovation and advanced technology, fashionable design and product experience.
Mr Manatase also said that despite the global economic downturn, Samsung was recruiting more employees this year.
Samsung Electronics enjoyed an increase of 33% in revenue last year.
Thai Samsung Electronics reported 55.6 billion baht in consolidated revenue in its 2007 financial year. Of the total, 33 billion baht came from exports and the remainder from local sales.
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