China-based Haier Electrical Appliances (Thailand) has set next Wednesday for the debut of its local website as part of plans to drive annual Thai sales to 10.8 billion baht in five years.
Thailand was chosen for the first Haier website outside China because it is Haier's biggest market and Thais are internet-savvy, with 8.8 million Bangkokians alone using Facebook.
The company will promote its brand awareness online including via social media.
Ogilvy Thailand has been hired to administrate the website.
"Our website will be a new channel for Haier to provide product information and then generate additional sales," said Tanan Sattarujawong, vice-president for marketing and e-commerce for the Haier subsidiary.
Yang Xiaolin, newly appointed president of Haier Group in Thailand, said the move was an initiative for Haier to have a two-way communication with consumers via the online channel.
In the initial stage the website will provide Haier's corporate information and general information about electrical appliances, while later it will sell Haier appliances along with products from its partners. Feedback from consumers will be taken into account for Haier to improve services and develop new products.
The local unit expects online sales will total 100 million baht in the first year.
Haier entered Thailand more than 10 years ago but has had a serious presence for only five years.
Thailand is its production base for washing machines, air conditioners and freezers.
Mr Yang admitted Chinese appliance brands are not as popular in Thailand as Japanese and South Korean products.
"Haier's acceptance in Thailand gets better year by year, as reflected in our rising sales," he said.
"We're set to be among the top three appliance brands here over the next 3-5 years."
Mr Yang said the Thai electrical appliance market was very fierce but challenging.
Haier's goal is 10.8 billion baht in annual sales in Thailand five years from now.
Last year, sales totalled 6.3 billion baht, of which 1.9 billion came from domestic sales.
Of the domestic sales, 700 million baht came from air conditioners, 600 million from refrigerators, 200 million each from freezers and washing machines and the rest from TV sets and other products.
This year, domestic sales are expected to grow by 20% to 2.3 billion baht via penetration of more household appliance segments.