Digital Camera Sales ‘hot’

[george]

Digital Camera sales ‘hot’

BANGKOK: -- Digital camera sales will increase by 50 per cent to 750,000 units this year, while the market will grow only slightly to over Bt7 billion, according to Boonjerd Harnvichitchai, vice president for operations at IT City Plc, a major retailer.

He added yesterday that unit sales were still hot but competition from vendors was forcing prices down. Last year’s sales were 520,000 units worth almost Bt7 billion, up from 260,000 units in 2003 worth Bt3.6 billion and 90,000 units three years ago worth Bt2 billion.

High-end and medium-priced models account for 15 per cent and 50 per cent of the market, he said.

“Soon the low-end digital-camera market will fade away, being replaced by high-end camera phones,” Boonjerd predicted.

High-end slim models are rapidly gaining popularity among tech buffs, thanks to their compact size.

IT City is making adjustments to cope with the rising oil price and slowdown. “The key to success from now on is not branch expansion but working efficiency,” Boonjerd said.

The company has started wiring up its operating and sales units with a new IT system so that it can get real-time, accurate information on such key variables as inventory

--The Nation 2005-08-27