Refrigerator makers, retailers enticing buyers with Eid offers

Refrigerator manufacturers and retailers in Bangladesh have come up with numerous offers to lure in customers ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, the biggest sales season for home appliances in the country.

Their efforts to attract buyers at this time are reflected by the various promotional campaigns on offer, including cashback, discounts, two-for-one deals, and so on.

Many families purchase home appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines and numerous other products, with their festival bonuses.

Some retailers even provide customers with the scope to exchange their old products for a significant discount on new ones.

"We are conducting 'Digital Campaign Season-15' for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha following huge success in the previous seasons," said Mustafizur Rahman, deputy executive director for public relations, media and branding at Walton.

He said under the new season of the campaign, customers might get cashback of up to Tk 20 lakh when purchasing Walton refrigerators and freezers.

The offers have been available at all Walton plazas, showrooms and the company's online platform "E-plaza" since May 16.

Walton also conducts countrywide digital campaigns to provide fast and best after-sales service for its customers through online automation, Rahman added.

Jamuna Electronics is offering a wide range of deals for refrigerators on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha as well.

A buyer can win up to Tk 10 lakh cashback on their purchase of fridges, televisions and air conditioners by registering on the Jamuna Electronics app.

Sharif Abdullah, brand manager of Jamuna Electronics and Automobiles Limited, said there are also opportunities to buy refrigerators with a minimum down payment of Tk 1,036 as the first monthly instalment and up to 40 per cent exchange offers.

Besides, clients of 36 banks can enjoy the opportunity to get a fridge for free if they buy the unit in equated monthly instalments (EMIs) at zero per cent interest.

"Refrigerators are an integral part of our daily lives and so, we are providing buyers with energy efficient, durable, attractive, and advanced products at affordable prices," he said.

Abdullah believes the domestic market size for refrigerators will exceed billions of dollars in the next 2-3 years.

He went on to say that Jamuna plazas would soon be set up in every police station of Bangladesh to deliver the best quality products to customers across the country.

Jamuna Electronics started with the production of only four refrigerator models in 2014 but the company now produces more than 250 models at its state-of-the-art factory.

The Eid-ul-Azha campaign of Singer Bangladesh has been focusing on its refrigerator range that includes direct cool refrigerators, side-by-side refrigerators, no-frost refrigerators and chest freezers.

Raziur Rahman, senior manager of marketing communication at Singer Bangladesh, said they are offering up to 100 per cent discounts through scratch cards on all refrigerators and freezers.

On the other hand, up to Tk 15,000 discounts are available in its exchange offers while purchasing side-by-side and no-frost refrigerators also come with a 10-year compressor warranty.

Easy, interest free instalment schemes of up to 12 months are also available for buyers, he added.

According to various electronics retailers, nearly one-fifth of their annual sales come from the festival period as people spend a major portion of their earnings at the time in search of convenience.

"Samsung has a huge range of product lines in the refrigerator category with multiple colour options," said Arman Hossain Prodhan, manager for product management at Fair Electronics.

Fair Electronics, which assembles home appliances of global electronics giant Samsung, is giving EMI facilities, cashback up to Tk 15,000, exchange offers, free home delivery services and attractive gift boxes.

Samsung has come up with digital inverter technology for refrigerators that saves electricity and lasts longer than conventional compressors, Prodhan added.

Vision Electronics is offering discounts from 5 per cent to 15 per cent (applicable through othoba.com and Vision emporiums), 0 per cent interest for 3 to 6-month instalment schemes, EMI facilities of up to nine months with 19 banks, and free home delivery for purchasing refrigerators during Eid-ul-Azha.

Moreover, Vision Electronics is currently running its "Full-Jhuri Offer Season-4", where consumer can get a gift box for purchasing a refrigerator.

Considering consumer buying patterns and purchasing power, Vision has developed more than 50 models with 350 colour variations. Starting from 50 litre to 566 litre capacities, the products are available at prices ranging from Tk 12,900 to Tk 99,900.

Vision Electronics promises to change the electronics and home appliances scenario in Bangladesh, providing superior products and value for money, said Kamruzzaman Kamal, director for marketing at Pran-RFL Group, the company's sister concern.

Kamal said to make their products available at customers' doorsteps, Vision has around 2,000 showrooms, distributors, dealer and retail outlets throughout the country. Also, people can make purchases online through e-commerce sites.

"Vision Electronics promises to change the electronics and home appliances scenario in Bangladesh, providing superior products and value for money," Kamal added.

Electro Mart is one of largest electronics and home appliances companies in Bangladesh.

Nurul Afser, deputy managing director of Electro Mart, said if a consumer buys a refrigerator, they will get a scratch card.

The scratch card gives customers the chance to get the fridge for free or a discount of up to Tk 20,000 while there are other gifts as well.

The stylish design of Konka refrigerators brings a touch of elegance to one's home. Also, it ensures less energy consumption and fresh food for a long time. So, Konka fridges are the smart choice for healthy living, Afser added.

Samir Muhammad Saleh, chief operating officer of Rangs eMart, said brands such as Samsung, Hitachi, LG, Toshiba, Hisense, Panasonic, Astra and Toshin are on offer with up to 29 per cent cashback on exchange.

In addition, the company's "SMS and WIN" campaign gives buyers the chance to win up to Tk 50,000 additional cashback on refrigerator purchases while there are other free gifts as well.

He said attractive offers are also available on credit card purchases through Bank Asia, LankaBangla Finance, South East Bank, Community Bank, Eastern Bank and Dhaka Bank.

Anika Rahman, product manager of consumer electronics at Samsung Electronics Bangladesh, said if any customer has an old fridge and wants to change it with a new model, then they can enjoy a maximum Tk 23,000 discount.

"In Samsung refrigerator, we are offering 5 different segments where we have more than 40 models in the market with over seven colour variations. So, any customer can choose the colour in their desired segment," she said.

This Eid, Samsung is providing attractive gift sets of nine fridge items, including fridge storage box, freezer container and water jar, to encourage buyers, Rahman added.

Just a decade ago, Bangladesh was almost fully dependent on imports to meet its demand for refrigerators. But the situation has since reversed with about 80 per cent of the demand now met by local manufacturers.

Walton led the way by setting up a manufacturing plant in 2008 and in 2016, the company even started manufacturing compressors, which is vital component for refrigerators.

In 2022 so far, refrigerator sales have amounted to about 50 lakh units, up 20 per cent year-on-year, according to industry players.

The sector has been growing at a double-digit rate for the last eight years.

The overall annual market size for refrigerators in Bangladesh is about Tk 15,000 crore, according to industry players.