AFPWith India Inc bracing for work from home amidst the Coronavirus outbreak, there is a surge in order of laptops in the country even as the manufacturers are grappling with supply issues. As per estimates, demands for laptops in India have surged by 40-45% in last seven days mirroring a trend in the US and other parts of the world.
As per the manufacturers, companies across sectors are placing orders. However, the maximum demand is from banks, BPOs, call centre, consulting, NGOs, small and medium businesses. Also, monitors and IT accessories have seen a surge in demand.
Lenovo India MD Rahul Agarwal said some companies have advanced their laptop purchases due to work from home directives. “Commercial sales will grow much more than what is forecast while the consumer segment will be hit due to store closures. However, supplies remain a challenge,” he said.
Agarwal said the business priority continues to be ensuring the health and welfare of the Lenovo workforce, continuity of manufacturing and rebuilding capacity, and assisting those working to contain the outbreak.
“Lenovo is leveraging its geographical balance, operational excellence and strength in managing complex supply chains across a global manufacturing footprint, and solid strategy execution in order to weather the challenges,” he said.
India still sources most laptops from China where manufacturing is yet to return to full capacity and there is a surge in orders from across the globe.
Market tracker IDC India research director Navkendar Singh while all categories are facing demand challenges, laptop is one segment facing supply challenges in India.
“Some companies are asking 8,000-10,000 laptops. Even monitors, routers are in huge demand like in the US. Laptop demand will continue to remain robust even after the Coronavirus outbreak since several companies will understand the economic benefits of work from home and may continue it,” said Singh.
Online marketplaces and platforms too reported a surge in demand. A Snapdeal spokesperson said the early phase of demand surge in the laptop and accessories category on Snapdeal was driven by users buying headphones, data transfer cables and pen drives where sales volumes spiked three times over one week.
“We are also seeing broader growth across products like Wi-Fi routers, laptop tables, surge protectors and spike guards,” he said.
As per the manufacturers, companies across sectors are placing orders. However, the maximum demand is from banks, BPOs, call centre, consulting, NGOs, small and medium businesses. Also, monitors and IT accessories have seen a surge in demand.
Elevate Your Tech Prowess with High-Value Skill Courses
| Offering College | Course | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Indian School of Business | ISB Professional Certificate in Product Management | Visit |
| Indian School of Business | ISB Product Management | Visit |
| IIM Lucknow | IIML Executive Programme in FinTech, Banking & Applied Risk Management | Visit |
Agarwal said the business priority continues to be ensuring the health and welfare of the Lenovo workforce, continuity of manufacturing and rebuilding capacity, and assisting those working to contain the outbreak.
“Lenovo is leveraging its geographical balance, operational excellence and strength in managing complex supply chains across a global manufacturing footprint, and solid strategy execution in order to weather the challenges,” he said.
India still sources most laptops from China where manufacturing is yet to return to full capacity and there is a surge in orders from across the globe.
Discover the stories of your interest
Market tracker IDC India research director Navkendar Singh while all categories are facing demand challenges, laptop is one segment facing supply challenges in India.
“Some companies are asking 8,000-10,000 laptops. Even monitors, routers are in huge demand like in the US. Laptop demand will continue to remain robust even after the Coronavirus outbreak since several companies will understand the economic benefits of work from home and may continue it,” said Singh.
Online marketplaces and platforms too reported a surge in demand. A Snapdeal spokesperson said the early phase of demand surge in the laptop and accessories category on Snapdeal was driven by users buying headphones, data transfer cables and pen drives where sales volumes spiked three times over one week.
“We are also seeing broader growth across products like Wi-Fi routers, laptop tables, surge protectors and spike guards,” he said.
Get Unlimited Access to The Economic Times
