Laptops in demand with WFH, online classes

The Shahani household in Bengaluru starts every day with a fight for two available computers since the lockdown started. IT professionals Kabir and Anushka work from home and their two children attend online classes.
"We never felt the need for a separate laptop for them (children)... Covid-19 has made us realise we can't do without it," said Anushka, adding that they would order another as soon as delivery starts in red zones.

The story is the same in several middle-class households across Indian cities, thanks to work from home and online classes for students in schools, colleges and higher educational institutes amid the lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a spike in demand for laptops, tech accessories, WiFi routers, printers, etc.

Computer manufacturers say since many shops in non-hotspot areas started functioning earlier this month, sales have surged compared with January-February.

Asus India has garnered almost 50% of average national volume in sales from just 100-odd stores in a week since the business started operating in zones as per government directive, said Arnold Su, its business head for consumer and gaming PC. Almost 65% of demand is for gaming laptops and the rest for consumer notebooks, he told ET. Lenovo India MD Rahul Agarwal said there has been a short-term spike in online sales and demand from enterprises.

The average annual demand for the personal computer has been around 4.5 million units. Demand is expected to accelerate further when the red zones open up for delivery of non-essentials.

ET reported in March that laptops, monitors and IT accessories demand had spiked in India even before the lockdown as India Inc geared up for work from home and companies across sectors placed orders. Now, orders from individuals have picked up pace as well.

"The majority of our shoppers are individual retail buyers," said a Snapdeal spokesperson. "Orders are being placed as more Indians work from home and children study online. We expect much higher demand in this segment as more people continue to work from the safety of their homes this year."

Demand for laptops and mobile accessories on Snapdeal has doubled since the lockdown, the person said, adding that there is significant demand from Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

A Flipkart spokesperson said working executives looking to upgrade their systems as well as growing importance of learn from home is driving the demand for laptops and IT peripherals across the country including non-metros.

Retail chain Kohinoor Electronics director Vishal Mewani said share of laptops and smartphones have gone up to 25% of overall sales from 10% before the lockdown. The chain is operating nine out of its 26 stores in Mumbai and Pune.