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By: Richard Del Cazzo
Web site: http://www.hdtv-hdtv.com
Hitachi India may be on the verge of stirring up the Indian
premium-end plasma screen television market with competitive
prices and sizes. While the Korean biggies LG and Samsung
and others have plasma display panels (PDPs) in 40, 42, 50,
60 and 63-inch between them, Hitachi plans to play on a price-versus-size
rationale by launching two new PDPs in 37 and 55-inch.
Hitachi seems to think that with just five inches less, its
37 and 55-inch PDPs will offer buyers products that are 35-40
per cent cheaper than competition is 42 and 60-inch products,
respectively.
Hitachi Home Electronics (Asia) Singapore-based regional
marketing manager Tarun Jain told FE, The idea of introducing
unconventional sizes was to give customers more freedom of
choice from the price point of view while choosing different
sizes. By launching mid-level sizes, Hitachi has bridged that
mind-block.
Hitachi has a safety net, however, since it currently has
two plasma screen TVs in 32-inch (Rs 2.65 lakh) and a 42-inch
which at Rs 3.25 lakh, is a shade cheaper than Samsung's Rs
3.79 lakh 42-inch PDP, LG's Rs 3.99 lakh PDP and Panasonic's
which costs Rs 4 lakh, but more expensive than Onida's new
42-inch which costs Rs 2.8 lakh. Also, Hitachi's Rs 6.95 lakh
55-inch PDP will be positioned against Samsung's 63-inch PDP
(Rs 14 lakh), and LG's 60-inch PDP which costs Rs 9.25 lakh.
Hitachi's own 60-inch plasma TV costs Rs 11 lakh.
The market in India for such high-end plasma TVs is still
small about 3,500 units were sold in 2003, though the industry
at large thinks growth should be about 150 per cent this year,
making a 2004 industry sales projection of about 8,750 units.
Mr Jain added, If a customer in India wanted to buy a super
premium plasma display panel a month back, he or she would
have a choice between a 50-inch (Rs 4.75 lakh) and a 60-inch
(Rs 11 lakh). Although not acute, a similar condition exists
between a 32-inch and a 42-inch. This price differential posed
a huge mind-block in the ultimate purchase decision. Ultimately,
only price non-sensitive customers would purchase a 60-inch.
By introducing a 55-inch, the acceptability of both 50-inch
and 55-inch PDPs has increased. A huge price gap existed between
the two sizes. Hitachi has merely filled up those gaps.
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