For digital camera makers, sales now seem to be on a picture perfect mode. The trend of buying a camera only during occasions is gradually making way for increasing sales around the year owing to impulse buying.
Digital cameras are priced anywhere between Rs 6000 to Rs 30,000. But cameras priced between Rs 10,000- Rs 15,000 are the ones which are attracting the Indian customers the most. These cameras contribute about 40%-50% of the total sales.
?People are not going for the very cheap or the very expensive cameras. They want good quality cameras which are affordable as well. So, the ones between Rs 10,000 – Rs 15,000 are the favorites,? said Prashant K Singh, marketing head, imaging products, Nikon India Pvt Ltd. ?These digital cameras are trendy with all the required features and thus, are attracting students and young professionals,? he added.
But the camera as a personal accessory for the Indian users is still way off, observe major camera companies like Nikon and Canon. So, sales surges during holidays and festivals to almost two-three times.
?We generally observe an increase in the sale of digital cameras during April-June and also during October- January. Sales almost doubles during these periods. But nowadays, we also see a lot of impulse buying throughout the year. Sleek and trendy cameras are gradually becoming more of a personal accessory,? commented Alok Bharadwaj, senior vice president, Canon, India.
Bharadwaj also regards organised retail chains as a reason for the increase in the sale of the digital cameras. ?The retail stores have also boomed the business as a variety of models is on display and customers have greater options to choose from,? commented Bharadwaj.
Almost 20%-25% of the sales is coming from organised retail chains.
?We see a number of teenagers as well as young professionals buying digital cameras. And it?s the medium priced ones which sell the most. The past trend of using cameras only during occasions is gradually breaking and people are eager to capture moments on a regular basis,? comments Ajit Joshi, CEO & MD, Infiniti Retail Ltd.