Shortage of laptops and PCs takes away sheen from electronic market

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

AMRITSAR, October 26

The shortage, and limited period discount on sale of laptops and personal computers (PCs) offered by online trading platforms, have taken away the sheen from the electronic market. It is generally believed that the prolonged India-China border imbroglio had slowed, if not dried up, the arrival of these gadgets in the market.

Amid the unlocking phase, the demand of desktops and laptops had risen significantly due to online version of education being adopted by the educational institutions and upsurge in work from home concept among office-goers.

Vikas Narang, president of Punjab Association of Computer Traders, said all expectations of impressive sales to continue till the festival season were smashed by the online companies offering discounts up to Rs5,000 on a piece of laptop and desktop.

“Showroom and shopkeepers cannot match the rates being offered by online trading giants,” he said. Vikas has been wondering that the units, which they were unable to procure from the market, were being conveniently sold by these online trading behemoths.

Consequently, a big slice of their day is spent idling and brooding if the demand will surface again – which doesn’t seem likely in the coming days to them. He also recalled that there had been over 20 per cent rise in the demand of these units in the market in comparison to previous year after easing of restrictions.

Meanwhile, Sahil Mehra, proprietor of a computer showroom, stated that prices of desktops and laptops, irrespective of their being branded or assembled, had increased between Rs3,000 and Rs4,000 per piece, immediately after opening of the lockdown. Escalated price continues to remain the same. “They had not suffered the sale pangs and slowdown as was seen in sectors like hospitality and gold ornaments after the lifting of curfew,” he said.