When iVooMi, the Chinese handset manufacturer, rolls out its first smartphone this month in India, a very doubtful Indian firm will get some acknowledgment for the roll out. In the last 4 Months, Flipkart, the e-commerce platform based in Bengaluru, has been operating with iVooMi to recognize the finer shades of smartphones being traded in small cities of India.
“Together with our internal market research, paired with data points of Flipkart, we have been capable of building 4G-capable handsets below Rs 10,000 that will be supplied to smaller cities in India,” says CEO of iVooMi, Ashwin Bhandari. He further adds that the firm makes smartphones on the basis of its internal market research team and data points gathered from Flipkart.
The budget handset contender will roll out 2 entry-level mobile in the 3rd week of July 2017. Both the smartphones are aimed at tier-III and tier-II cities and kept under the price range of below Rs 10,000. So, what do users in these towns really need?
The wish list is rather clear, as per Bhandari. For example, they like their handset in colors such as black, champagne, and rose gold. Moreover, 5.5mm thickness and dual cameras are some of the stuff that the survey has thrown some light on. In addition, batteries must last longer than a day, and speakers must not be louder than 95 dB. The average capacity of the battery must be 2500 mAh.
iVooMi is not the only smartphone manufacturer to approach e-commerce firms for market survey. A few months ago, Micromax had also amalgamated with Flipkart to co-design handsets in the price range of Rs 6000–12,000. “We are co-designing a product with Flipkart that will be a festive scheme. The insights are not limited from our associates, but also a direct feedback that we get from users on their choices. Hence, our speedy go-to market strategy and understanding has assisted us come out as a leader in the sub-segment of smartphones under 12K,” says Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing, Shubhodip Pal.
Industry observers think that approaching ecommerce firms for market data is a fine idea.