Excerpts:
CT: Tell us about journey of LAPCARE in India?
Popli: LAPCARE is a Singapore based brand, which mainly focuses on quality and innovation in the domain of laptop accessories. Laptop care, which is the core concept behind setting up the brand in 2004 with compatible batteries, successful placement of it in market encouraged us to introduce laptop adaptors in 2010 along with a range of laptop spares and accessories like bag packs, cleaners, laptop screens and more. It’s our prime focus to add trendy and innovative product ranges to our product portfolio.
CT: In terms of line of products, what are the key focus areas for the company?
Popli: LAPCARE is a well-known brand largely in compatible batteries and adaptors. We will continue to enhance this range and retain the quality standards. Moving forth we will also establish ourselves as a consumer brand by adding trendy and innovative product range like LAPCARE Power (batteries and adaptors), LAPCARE Peripherals (accessories), LAPCARE Smart 3G (3G Dongles & routers), LAPCARE Smart Charge (power banks & car power inverter) as we have developed a dedicated departments to handle it. We are going to strengthen ourselves by focusing more on laptop spares. We will also pave our way to enter into Tablets spares and accessories with the increasing market size of this product.
CT: How optimistic are you on the business opportunities for you and your channels in India?
Popli: We have been in the market since inception with our distributor Rx Infotech and have developed a large channel network across India. We see a lot of growth opportunities for our investors and our retailers. The growth opportunity is forecasted from the fact that since last 3- 4 years technology has grown and a major shift is seen from desktop to mobility. We are going to have a role to play in all the product segments. Laptop market has been growing at a good pace since year 2009. Consumers especially from home, small offices and students are attracted to buy our trendy and quality products at a pocket friendly price.
CT: Can you elaborate on LAPCARE channel engagements?
Popli: LAPCARE is associated with Rx Infotech for distribution of products in India. We are also engaged with our volumes partners and resellers directly. Our marketing team ensures that there is enough visibility of our brand and partners at our retailers. We also conceptualize and conduct special schemes and contests for our resellers and master resellers to cherish our long-term engagement. In future, we will have channel engagement with different verticals like stationary, mobiles, large retailers and multi brand retail outlets. With different product categories we will be getting into, we will go across to other regional and national distributors so that we can do full justice to the consumers.
CT: What’s your vision to grow the channel business in India for 2014?
Popli: Our vision and aim is to get our range of products available in stationary, lifestyle and multi brand outlets, as they are the channel segment in India who interact directly with the consumer. Our initial challenge will be to reach them and our next level of growth in year 2014 is from them. And to address this challenge we are employing manpower to make sure we have complete coverage to reach out to these partners. Today consumers are mainly dependent on this mom & pop outlets or e-commerce to buy their consumable needs.
CT: What are your focus areas in India in terms of the markets, industries, and verticals that will help you improve business?
Popli: We know our strength is peripherals and accessories and will continue to strengthen it. We will like to extend this range by adding B2C segment in future and the process has already started. Our key focus area this season is a multi-brand outlet, as we will introduce a wide range of consumer products soon. India is becoming a prime center for global market. Our focus area in present scenario is to get multidimensional in perspective.