Samsung’s Mystical “MystEco”

How is the Samsung’s TFT product category doing in the Indian market? 

Our TFT monitors are doing great and growing too, thanks to the improving market conditions and the new products that we have launched in the market in the recent past.

In March this year, we announced the launch of our new Samsung MystEco Series of TFT monitors in the Indian market. The new, stylish, feature-rich, MystEco series is available in 15.6”, 18.5”, 20” and 21.5” screen sizes and offers consumers complete display solutions for their entertainment and business needs. 

The salient feature of the new MystEco Series TFT monitors is its power-saving capabilities. They provide consumers the option of power saving with the help of one hot key through which the power consumption can be set at 100% / 75% / 50%. The MystEco series uses least power in a standby mode (0.3W) and comes with a stylish, high glossy cabinet; slim neck and an elegant design with rear wave pattern. Some of the superior performance features that make the viewing experience truly delightful includes a dynamic contrast ratio of 70000:1, lateral plug-in and a 16:9 wide format panel that is ideal for multimedia contents. The series is HD (High-definition) ready

The MystEco series represents an optimal combination of eco-friendly and superior performance features. It features “Magic Angle”, which is a 3-step angle management process where the screen does not lose clarity, even when it is being at different viewing angels. The screen appears as if viewed at the face angle, even when seen lying down or below. The “Magic Return” feature in the MystEco series is optimized for Windows 7 and in case of dual monitor usage allows automatic content movement from one monitor to another in case one of the monitors is switched off. The entire MystEco range is wall-mountable – offering consumers convenient space management options. 

Please share your presence in the retail segment

Retail is largely constituted of organized local stores which have more conversion ratio than LFR. The high-end products and premium design also contribute to the retail presence. The display of the actual product is highest across Samsung partners. However, we are also expanding our Samsung IT plaza network this year. We inaugurated our first IT brand shop in Delhi last week and would be expanding the Brand Shop network to other key cities like Chennai, Hyderabad , Kolkata, Bangalore and Pune this year 

Is this product category geography-specific (Means is it better positioned in the metros and bigger towns)? 

Traditionally or in the initial days, metros were doing better, but gradually the spread has been across smaller towns as well. Though the ratio is still largely in favour of bigger cities and metros, smaller pockets in the North and South are fast gaining prominence. 

What new ingredients have you introduced last year (in terms of channel enablement / promotions etc.)? 

Channel was enabled through the implementation of a Supply Chain Management programme for tier 2, which helps manage efficiencies better. There were exciting T2 and T3 programmes run to engage channel better. 

How do you ensure about the smooth rebate disbursement for your various channel-centric schemes?

Channel schemes were being disbursed directly from Samsung for all tiers to ensure more transparency and control. With the implementation of the new SCM system, we can disburse and close schemes even faster. 

How do you see the Indian market both in terms of the consumer behaviour and competition? 

The Indian consumer is more informed and demanding now, which gives space for more players in the market. The competition has become more aggressive than earlier. 

How do you see Samsung’s TFT Monitor business doing for the year 2010?