35% of Transcend memories are fake

This is the startling figure that

Transcend's Indian distributor, Mediaman Group, quotes to highlight the dominance

of the fake memory business menace. While Mediaman is accepting this as an

acceptable business loss, other distributors like Sri Durga Computech and Bytes

World are embarking on awareness drive to tackle this problem head on.

"We had hoped that the introduction of VAT would help to

curb the fake business, but unfortunately these spurious products still sell

well. The need of the hour is for the government to regularize the

implementation of taxes. Along with representatives from Transcend Information

Inc and Bytes World, we are working to increase awareness amongst the end-users

about this issue," Sanath Babu said.

"As part of the campaign, we are working to educate the

end-user to buy memory products only through authorized Transcend dealers. Most

importantly they have to look for the Transcend tamper-proof packing before they

buy the memory modules. In addition, we would be sending mailers and increase

advertisements in order to make sure that the end users know where and what to

buy from whom," said Hitesh Shah, Director, Bytes World.

But Dushyant Mehta, who had undertaken a similar drive a year

ago, says that it is very difficult to eradicate the fake market. "At times

it is difficult for a distributor like us to identify the fakes from the genuine

as they look so similar," he noted. Besides, he points out that the

Transcend memory business is so big that he would rather concentrate on selling

the genuine products, to tracing and fighting the fakes.

Mediaman had recently organized a seven-city road show to

showcase Transcend's latest range of on the go products, which includes flash

cards and lifestyle devices, which are portable hard disk drives, card readers,

MP3 players and a combination of both. This range is targeted at premium buyers

who are willing to pay 20 percent more than contemporary brands, to get better

quality. Transcend is aiming at reaching out to this audience through retail

outlets.

Transcend has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan and China.

However, Jeff Liu, Sales Manager for Transcend Information has not ruled out

setting up a manufacturing base in India, once the governmental policies become

friendlier.

Vinita Bhatia & Subbalaksmi Bm


Mumbaii