Canon to add 500 partners in 2010

Bharat Sharma

Canon India will increase the size of its Original Ink Center (OIC) outlets by threefold, from the current 310 to around 1,000 centers by the end of 2010. The motive behind this move is to reduce the sale of duplicate cartridges in the consumables business by offering customers original toner cartridges at a reasonable price.“We want to promote the sale of genuine cartridges at a very affordable price. That is why we are expanding our already existing network of Original Inkjet Centers. But clearly, these 1,000 outlets by the end of this year would not be enough. For a country as huge as India, we aim to have around 5,000 OIC's in the next three to five years,” said Kensaku Konishi, President and CEO, Canon India. Expanding these outlets would also mean adding another 500 channel partners in the network as Canon does not involve itself directly in setting up the centers. “We cannot reach out to all our customers on our own. We need the help of our channel partners to do the job for us, the task of managing the ink centers rests with them,” added Konishi.

The OIC outlets concept was launched in India to promote the usage of original inks. These stores basically are a one-stop-shop for all Canon consumables with the focus products being inks. The centers have also provided impetus for the growth of Canon consumables business in India. Currently, the business is growing at a rate of 17 percent and with more outlets being established, the business is likely to grow further. VP Sajeevan, Director-Consumer System Products Division, Canon India talked about OIC concept. “We aim to increase consumer awareness about the advantages of using original inks for all inkjet printing products and making original inks easily available to consumers,” he added.

So, the question which rises is that what made Canon introduce OIC's in India? “Over the years, Canon has realized that the absence of proper information and lack of easy availability of original inks are the two main causes that make consumers opt for refilling. Refilling over a period of time proves detrimental to the printers and All-in-Ones. This is the fundamental reason why Original Ink Centers have been put in place. It is a significant step and Canon's conscious attempt to help customers in understanding the long-term benefits of using original inks,” concluded Sajeevan.