Demand for laptops, PC and mobiles gets pandemic push

Average sales cross 10 years high, rise of 70 per cent

VAIBHAV PARWAT

Aurangabad, Jan 8:

The surge in work-from-home and online education due to the Covid-19 pandemic was a good news for the electronic market. Demand for laptops, PCs and mobile phones for personal and commercial use has risen beyond expectation. Traders said that the demand for digital gadgets has risen by 70 per cent as compared to last 10 years and continuous to grow.

The pandemic has prompted lockdowns and school closings. Large and small IT companies and other firms have switched to work from home. This prompted a wave of buying laptops, PCs and mobiles. Nikhil Raut, secretary of the Aurangabad computer traders association said, with workers and students forced to stay home owing to the Covid-19, sales of personal computers shot to their highest level in past ten years. Sales of laptop and desktops exceeded almost 25,000 since pandemic, that is an increase of 70 per cent in just one year. PC sales have boomed with around 15,000 PCs being sold since lockdown in the district. However, sale of mobile phones led the market with almost 1.20 lakh mobile phones being sold for online education and other works. That is a 90 per cent increase in the sales in just one year.

Continuous rising demand

The pandemic not only fueled laptop and PC market demand but also created opportunities that resulted in a market expansion. Many new players have entered the gadget market providing employment to thousands. With increased demand, every shop is having a turnover of Rs 30 to 50 lakh per month. Most of the stores are running out of stock because of the continuous demand, said laptop trader Ashfaq Deshmukh.

Expensive laptops preferred

Most expensive laptops and PCs are becoming the first choice of the buyers. Specifications like high 4 to 6 GB RAM, webcam, 1TB storage, good processor chip speed, loud speakers and good resolution capacity are preferred. Similar specifications are also being looked for in mobile phones. Laptops and PCs ranging between Rs 25,000 to Rs 1.50 lakh and mobile phones from Rs 8000 to Rs 60,000 are sold in the market, said Deshmukh.

Shortage of chips affects market

Severe shortage of computer chips, the components that is the heart of smartphones and laptops affected the prices. Laptops and mobiles have become expensive by Rs 2000-3000 in just one year affecting the sale. Sales might have been even stronger if the shortage was dealt with at the right time, said Raut.