‘GST hasn’t impacted Samsung smartphone sales’

Samsung India has not seen a lot of GST impact and had maintained popularity quo at the charge of handsets, says Mohandeep Singh, Senior Vice-President, Mobile Business, Samsung India.

In truth, the usa’s main phone-maker is also “making for India,” with handsets having India-unique functions.

In an interview with BusinessLine, Singh shares GST rollout’s effect, the organization’s strategy concerning the mid-to-mid-premium section, opposition from Chinese providers, and bundling gives. Excerpts:

What has been the effect of GST on the telephone section?

We have no longer not visible any impact of GST. I assume we can see the blessings inside for a long time. Post-GST has neither been a rate boom nor a reduction in the range of mobile phones sold.

So what are the elements of using telephone income?

Factors inclusive of virtual bills and the excellent of the available network are using handset income. Consumers also need to do loads greater with their gadgets, in particular with the facts available. As increasingly more conveniences get construct, income will develop.

How is Samsung positioning itself within the noticeably aggressive mid-to-mid-premium segment with the J series offerings?

One out of each three smartphones that were offered in July in India become a J series. This form of acceptability is obviously resulting from the various improvements we’ve introduced in. For the first time in a mid-category phone, we delivered in Samsung Pay. It turned into earlier constrained to the A and S collection.

With Samsung Pay being brought in some J7 models, is the emblem no longer compromising top class A and S portfolios?

Why have to that be? Every customer has to get the technology and the choice to undertake it. Our endeavor has to be to popularise Samsung Pay.

Going ahead, will Samsung Pay be added within the sub-₹15,000 services?

As lengthy as hardware capability and improvement aid us… It may be hard to introduce the offerings at decrease price factors.

Is this refocus on price-delivered services within the mid-to-mid-top class section pushed with the aid of opposition from Chinese gamers?

The offerings are based totally on what clients want and now not on competition. We had been bringing in India-specific capabilities primarily based on generation. For example, Samsung Pay is to be had on SBI debit cards. Initially, while we had launched it, it was simplest on credit score playing cards.

We moved it to debit playing cards due to India’s fact, and it’s miles a lot extra relevant.

Out attempt is to make for India, with insights primarily based on what Indian consumer wishes.

GST

More than the number of fashions being released, I agree with it’s far whether those fashions are slicing ice or now not. And we accept as true with we’ve got the proper mix of fashions.

Dealers have complained that Samsung has been refusing to supply shops that provide an extra outstanding display to competing for Chinese brands. Your comments…

Frankly, it isn’t always the primary time we see competition. And we’ve constructed our credibility and relationships throughout channels, distributors, sellers, and so forth over time. We are fairly strongly invested inside the off-line channels, so to mention. Our consciousness is likewise to have very healthful channel relationships to be positioned thru the channel necessities. That will stay our focus.

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Right now, your bundling offers are complete with Jio. Are you open to different operators too?

Of direction, we can have those. We have had such bundling gives with other telcos within the beyond. Jio has suggested smartphones, and we suppose it is of value to the consumer.

John R. Wright
Social media ninja. Freelance web trailblazer. Extreme problem solver. Music fanatic. Spent several months marketing pubic lice in the financial sector. Spent 2002-2008 supervising the production of ice cream in Africa. Had some great experience developing robotic shrimp in the aftermarket. Spent several years getting my feet wet with puppets in Miami, FL. Was quite successful at supervising the production of corncob pipes worldwide. What gets me going now is working with electric trains in Mexico.