HP India to increase retail outlets to 1,000 by Oct 2003

In a move to reach out to an increasing number of customers in India, HP

India Ltd plans to more than double its retail outlets in the country. Apart

from retail outlets, it envisages consumers to experience and enjoy digital

imaging the HP way in its `Concept Stores', to be opened across the country,

shortly.

In the press offsite held at the Ananda Resort, near Narendra Nagar in

Tehri-Garhwal district, HP India announced plans to further strengthen the

retail business in India, which it acquired as part of Compaq's merger with

itself. According to Ravi Aggarwal, Director (Imaging and Printing Group), HP

India, the company would increase the present number of 450 outlets in 200

cities to 1,000, that will cover 280 cities in the country by October 2003.

These stores will sell the entire range of consumer products, which will include

Compaq Presario home PCs and notebooks, handhelds, inkjet printers, photo-smart

color printers, scanners, consumer and commercial all-in-ones, entry-level laser

printers, supplies and an extensive range of papers.

Besides these outlets, HP India also plans to open `Concept Stores' in about

eight large cities where the entire range of consumer and commercial products

will be demonstrated. "These stores will not have a selling orientation,

rather they will provide consumers new ways to experience and enjoy digital

imaging," elaborated Aggarwal, adding that these concept stores would also

guide consumers in making appropriate decisions.

According to Aggarwal, of the existing 8,000 odd resellers that HP currently

has, about 1,000 are expected to start HP exclusive retail outlets in their

cities. On its part, the company will extend the support by supplying equipment

and experts to these outlets to aid customers.

HP India said that it would also strengthen its support infrastructure to

complement the retail chain in 280 cities. In these cities, the company will

have authorized professionals, who will provide after sales service to the

customer. Aggarwal, however, declined to disclose the amount of investment HP

India will make in setting up the retail chain. He said that consumers are

expected to purchase higher end products from the retail outlets.

During the press offsite, HP India also launched a series of new Deskjet and

Laserjet printers. The new additions include a Bluetooth-enabled portable color

printer at Rs 15,999; HP's first sub Rs 75,000 color laser printer; the fastest

color HP LaserJet printer featuring wide-format in-line printing; and new

connectivity products that support printer maintenance, management and wireless

connectivity.

The new lineup of HP color printers and connectivity products are targeted at

mobile professionals, SOHO/SMB, enterprise users, print service providers and

graphics professionals. Said Nitin Hiranandani, Commercial Country Category

Manager (IPG), HP India, "Just as color adds another dimension to business

documents, we want to provide customers with the capability to realize their

color printing aspirations beyond expectations."

Aggarwal also said that HP's worldwide printer initiative targeted just about

four percent of the digital printing market so far.

"We would take measures to expand our share by entering the rest of the

96 percent market through the release of several new products in the coming

months."

Cyber News Service