Laptop sales surge on lower prices

Badrul Ahsan | Published: February 26, 2011 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Badrul Ahsan
Laptop computers sales in local market increased more than three times in just two years, thanks to lower prices and favourable power back-up system, industry people said. Sales of laptop computers in 2010 were 150,000, up by 60,000 a year ago and 45,000 in 2008, according to the statistics of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS). The market size of laptop in 2010 was about Tk 6.0 billion, which could rise as much as Tk 10 billion this year, a top executive of BCS said. About 10 categories of branded and non-branded laptop computers are now being sold in major computer outlets in the city. The major brands include DELL, HP, Compaq, Gateway, Acer and ASUS. Almost all branded and non-branded laptops are imported from China. The prices of laptop ranged between Tk 20,000 and Tk 60,000. Second-rated computers with poor configuration are low in price, while reputed brands with latest configuration are high in price, vendors said. The demand for computers, whose prices range between Tk 25,000 and Tk 35,000, is high, they added. BCS Computer City at IDB Bhaban, ECS Computer City and Alpana Plaza, both located at Elephant Road, are the exclusive computer markets in the city. Besides, laptops and other computer items are also sold in different markets like Basundhara City, Twin Tower, Eastern Plaza and other big markets. "The laptops now being sold between Tk 20,000 and Tk 60,000 were sold between Tk 35,000 and Tk.95,000 two years ago," said Md. Zahid Hossain, managing director of Techno Care Ltd, a renowned local computer marketing company. "About two years back, the sale of laptop was maximum one-tenth of total PC sale, which shot up to three-fourth, giving an evidence of popularity of laptops among buyers," said Md. Sayed Khan Asad, a managing partner of Dream Land Computers at IDB Bhaban. He said businessmen, bankers and students are the major buyers of laptops. Md. Junaid Karim, while purchasing a laptop, has expressed his satisfaction over the reasonable prices of laptop. "Internet modem has made the laptop more popular to us", he added Another buyer of laptop, Atiqur Rahman, who is a businessman, said he prefers laptop as "it is handy and movable." "I use the laptop in my private car. Traffic congestion cannot eat up my valuable time as I complete many urgent official tasks using laptop, which is connected with internet," Mr. Rahman told the FE. He said he uses the same laptop in his office and house. "Laptop has eased my work pressure," he said. Obaydul Islam Babul, senior sales executive of a computer outlet at IDB Bhaban, said they cannot provide prompt and required services to their clients as the country faces serious dearth of laptop technicians. "As the importers of laptop alone send technicians to our clients in need, sometimes it takes 15 to 20 days to provide service and support to our customers which leave us in an embarrassing situation," Mr. Babul added. Other than importers, the laptop vendors do not have technicians for after-sales service. Meanwhile, many importers of desktop computers have started importing laptops along with desktop computers as the demand for laptops has been rising fast. "The total value of laptop sales last year was approximately Tk 6.0 billion, which might increase up to Tk 10 billion this year," said president of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) Mustafa Jabbar. Mr. Mustafa Jabbar has also expressed his hope that the demand for laptop would increase day by day and laptops would capture the entire market of desktop computer within next five years. "Due to storage and some other special facilities, only desktop server will exist in the market", he added. He urged the government to withdraw all kinds of duties on computer and peripherals for the greater interest of the nation. Presently, importers are paying 6.0 per cent duty at import level. Of them, three per cent are custom duties and other three per cent are advance trade VAT (ATV).