Limiting my note on consumer products, GfKIndia<\/a> is mentioning an increase in the ASP in 2022 between 4-9% for TVs, appliances and laptops. The fact is that the ASP for all these products has been showing an increasing trend since 2020 – The year of COVID-19. The low and mid segment are on the decline.
Moving on to smartphones, IDC puts the increase in the ASP of smartphones at 18%, which is more than double that of laptops. The reason given here is the growth in the mid-premium segment (Rs 25k – Rs 40k) by 20% and the premium segment (Rs.40k+) by 55%. As per CMR, the uber-premium segment of Rs 100k+ grew by an astounding 95%.
Let us look at the table below based on Counterpoint data, which has the volume and the value contribution for the last 2 years. Since the entire data is in %s, it would be right to conclude the following:
- If the value growth % is higher than the volume growth %, the ASP of the brand has gone up (marked in green).<\/li>
- If value growth % is lower than the volume growth %, the ASP of the brand has gone down (marked in red).<\/li>
- If the value growth % is matched by the volume growth %, the ASP has remained unchanged (marked in Yellow).<\/li><\/ul>
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Why did the ASP of most brands not go up? Let us draw some conclusions for brands and the suggested way forward for not all brands could have missed out on the ASP going up in 2022 while planning their GTM – as the ASP had been showing a upward trend in the earlier years as well.- Brands could have consciously avoided the entry and mid-segment because they thought it would be difficult to generate both revenue and profits with the competition. Even in 2023, a decline in the market is forecasted by research agencies unless the JioPhoneNext makes a grand entry and really shakes up the mid-segment.<\/li>
- They did not launch enough devices<\/a> in the mid-premium and premium segment for fear of acceptance and for reasons mentioned above. This is a product portfolio challenge and lack of confidence.<\/li>
- They did launch some but got a tepid response which could mean a product proposition or brand positioning issue.<\/li>
- They continued their play in the mid and higher end devices<\/a> of the sub Rs.25k segment with a target for a reasonable increase in the ASP. However, the segment declined by 15% and their plans failed as they could not get increased volumes.<\/li><\/ul>If not all, at least 4 of the top 5 brands should have shown growth in their ASP to show premiumisation of the smartphone category as a whole. What we see from the chart (shown above) is actually a case of premiumisation of only 2 brands - Apple<\/a> and Samsung<\/a>. Brands like Vivo have actually dropped their ASP. In the case of Xiaomi and Oppo, the ASP has remained unchanged.
Based on the above chart and the fact that the volumes this year are expected to decline, it is imperative for brands to get their ASP up which would mean going after the mid-premium and premium segment. But not all brands will find easy acceptance in these categories from customers.
Samsung<\/a> seems to be having momentum in its favor being a clear No. 1 with a 14% revenue increase in 2022, and now the good response to its GalaxyS23 in 2023. They are following it up with plans of opening up fifteen premium experience stores across nine cities by the end of 2023 from existing two.
Xiaomi managed to hold on to its No. 1 position in volumes last year but the gap between them and Samsung in volumes has come down to just 1%. In value they have been pushed to No. 3. With 3 months of the year already gone it is about time for them to not only push volumes (a decline of 4% is worrying), but also push products in the Rs 25k - Rs. 40k segment if not the Rs 40k+ segment. Of course they can have a flagship product at that price as well for brand positioning in the future. The only good thing could be the fact that it is the only Chinese company that has shown a profit in FY 2020 and 2021. This should give them the resources for the right alignment in their product portfolio, channel strategy, product quality, and service.
A decline of 25% in the segment below Rs 25k would be highly worrying for Vivo and Oppo. If this continues they will have to take away a good share from others like Xiaomi and Realme<\/a> by going down the price ladder to get revenues from volumes through a price war, which will hit their hope of positioning their brand higher. Alternatively, they will have to go up the ladder which would mean competing with well-entrenched brands as well such as Nothing. Getting a positive response from customers who have strong brand loyalties in the mid and premium segments will not be that easy. As a brand moves up the price ladder brand loyalties increase.
This leaves Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo and Realme<\/a> to play primarily in the mid-premium segment. Brands need to align their product portfolio which exhibits real innovation through R&D, product designing, innovative marketing, superb user experience, both pre and post-purchase of device, with the right channel to make a reasonable presence in this segment in 2023, to take the leap to the premium segment in 2024.
At the same time, brands that may have been hit in the sub-Rs 25k segment should keep their options open in the mass segment as well, as customers may be cautious in their spends due to the global slowdown and its effects. Prices of 5G devices are expected to go down by the second half of 2023 (JioPhoneNext could do it for sure) and 5G is the key driver for sales this year. It should not happen that they land up generating even lower volumes and lower values in 2023 just trying to follow the past trend. The market is very dynamic.
One more interesting thing to find out would be the reasons for the reduction in the replacement cycle of washing machines and refrigerators which are much ahead of smartphones in terms of the product life cycle. It is not just product quality getting better at higher ASPs. There is something else to it that needs to be found and replicated.
<\/body>","next_sibling":[{"msid":99367115,"title":"Auction of satellite spectrum?","entity_type":"ARTICLE","link":"\/blog\/auction-of-satellite-spectrum\/99367115","category_name":null,"category_name_seo":"blog"}],"related_content":[],"msid":99449619,"entity_type":"ARTICLE","title":"Premiumisation: Every brand\u2019s call, but only two\u2019s voice!","synopsis":"\"A decline of 25% in the segment below Rs 25k would be highly worrying for Vivo and Oppo. If this continues they will have to take away a good share from others like Xiaomi and Realme by going down the price ladder to get revenues from volumes through a price war, which will hit their hope of positioning their brand higher,\" says Sharma.","titleseo":"blog\/premiumisation-every-brands-call-but-only-twos-voice","status":"ACTIVE","authors":[{"author_name":"Ajay Sharma","author_link":"\/author\/479260496\/ajay-sharma","author_image":"https:\/\/etimg.etb2bimg.com\/authorthumb\/479260496.cms?width=100&height=100&hostid=268","author_additional":{"thumbsize":true,"msid":479260496,"author_name":"Ajay Sharma","author_seo_name":"ajay-sharma","designation":"Advisor","agency":false}}],"analytics":{"comments":0,"views":645,"shares":0,"engagementtimems":1417000},"Alttitle":{"minfo":""},"artag":"ETTelecom","artdate":"2023-04-13 08:19:57","lastupd":"2023-04-13 08:19:59","breadcrumbTags":["Apple","realme","gfkindia","premium phones","Samsung","iphone","Counterpoint Research","premiumisation trend","smartphone industry","Devices"],"secinfo":{"seolocation":"blog\/premiumisation-every-brands-call-but-only-twos-voice"}}" data-news_link="//www.iser-br.com/blog/premiumisation-every-brands-call-but-only-twos-voice/99449619">