Consumer electronics brand Sony India aims to double sales of its Vaio lap-tops by selling 36,000 units in Andhra Pradesh (AP) this year, up from 18,500 units sold last year, said Tadato Kimura, general manager (marketing).
“We are in the process of expanding our channel network from 70 outlets last year to 140 this year, besides connecting the Vaio brand to consumers in the state with a budget of Rs 3.5 crore. These will be the critical drivers for us to achieve a market share of 21 per cent in AP this year, as against 14 per cent last year,” he told reporters here on Friday.Stating that the consumer notebook market in the state stood at 132,000 units in 2010, and is expected to increase to 172,000 units this year, Kimura said contribution of AP to Vaio sales was expected to go up to 10 per cent this year, as against 6 per cent in 2010.
Sony’s new Vaio laptop series is priced between Rs 24,990 and Rs 1,29,900, he said, adding a price reduction was likely in line with the industry trend, sometime this year. VAIO contributes 20 per cent to the total sales revenues of Sony India. “With a product line-up of 62 models in 16 colours, and the planned expansion of our nationwide distribution network from 800 to 15,00 counters across 200 cities, coupled with the Rs 50-crore marketing investment, we expect to sell 500,000 units this year,” he said. The company sold 250,000 units last year.
In 2011, Sony is planning to increase its VAIO flag-ship stores to 50 from 20 cou-nters last year. The company achieved a market share of 15 per cent in the 5-million-unit Indian laptop market, and is targeting 20 per cent share this year.
