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NEW DELHI, May 3

THE time is ripe for the home appliances segment to re-examine its approach towards the consumer. Besides, the segment also needs to distinguish the two categories - consumer electronics and home appliances - of the consumer durables industry.

Speaking at a panel discussion `Partnership 2002 - Sharing information for strategic benefit' jointly organsied by ORG and GFK Asia here today, Mr Amit Roy, President, ORG-MARG, said, "There is a need to set apart the consumer electronics category from home appliances."

The need to categorise the segments has arisen as in consumer electronics, there was more individual participation while the home appliances segment involved many components, he said. Apart from this, the home appliances category had been low on technology, he said.

Better communication is another aspect which the home appliances segment needs to put in order while creating excitement for its products in the market. Elaborating on the issue, Mr Roy said the segment needed to take the product to the consumer. "The companies should demonstrate some of the utility part of the product to the consumers or take the products to the households. Something which made Eureka Forbes establish itself," he said.

The major players in the home appliances segment felt that the state of the economy and consumer finance were major drivers of the growth of the sector.

According to Mr Anand Bhardwaj, Executive Vice-President (Marketing and Marketing Services), Electrolux Kelvinator Ltd, infrastructure was another aspect which needed to be examined. "Unless we improve infrastructure the growth will remain sluggish," he said.

Further, consumer finance would be a major growth driver, Mr Bhardwaj said, adding that as it started penetrating smaller markets, growth would be visible.

Commenting on the factors responsible for the growth of the segment, Mr Raj Jain, Managing Director, Whirlpool of India Ltd, said market sentiment was key to industry growth. Apart from this, the segment required organised retail, he said.

Most manufacturers from the West did not favour it, but in India this was what was going to help the segment, he pointed out. "Such retail outlets will make purchase easy for the consumer," Mr Jain said.

On the issue of how, despite the stagnant market, there have been some winners and losers, the industry players said the companies which had done well had worked well on brand building and had come out with some outstanding products.

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