Pune: After a damp squib in 2020, dealers in appliances and electronic gadgets in the city say that the loosened restrictions amid festive season have helped sales in the category to match or even exceed pre-pandemic levels, with particular movement in home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators.
Dealers added that an upward revision in prices for most products does not seem to be much of an impediment when it comes to purchases, with low levels of supply in some categories, especially personal gadgets.
“We have witnessed a lot of demand compared to 2020, even with the prices of most electronics inching up in the last few months. The situation is that due to supply-related difficulties, such as the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, manufacturers are not being able to send the volumes that are required to match the demand. This is especially true in the case of mobile phones and laptops, where the waiting times for some models are up to a month or even more. This is disappointing for a lot of our customers, who came to specifically shop for a certain model of phone or computer, but deferred their purchase or settled for something else,” said the manager of a large electronics outlet in Aundh.
Manufacturers added that while demand has significantly improved, the overall market is still a journey towards normalcy.
“Even though there has been a significant uptick in consumer spending, the white goods industry is still witnessing a return to normalcy. We expect the hybrid working routine to further fuel demand for functional home appliances as people try to adjust back to their earlier lives and continue to rely on technology. Since the lockdown ended, we are witnessing a good pickup in demand for newer categories like dishwashers and washer-dryers, which we expect will continue to gain popularity over the next few months as the market penetration is low and there is a lot of room to grow,” said a spokesperson from the Tata-owned consumer electronics firm Voltas.
Others added that while supply chain difficulties are having a lesser effect on manufacturing and sales in the ongoing festive season, the effects may be felt more in the summer months.
“Consumer sentiment is good, and overall sales have increased by around 15-20% in recent months, after the restrictions were loosened during the festive season. However, challenges remain regarding supply chain issues, such as the shortage of some inputs and the high cost of freight. There are resurgences of Covid in China and Southeast Asia, which is causing container and chip shortages. While the effects are not being felt as much now, they will be felt slightly more in the months when air-conditioner sales are at their peak,” said Vikas Gupta, managing director of operations at PG Electroplast, a contract electronics manufacturer.
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Despite supply woes, gadget demand spikes - Times of India
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