Shy, shy shoppers

• Festive sales of electronic products up, but expected boom didn’t happen

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, OCT 14

With the country gripped by festive fervour, sales of consumer durables have gone up, but not on the scale anticipated. The huge festive schemes launched by electronics dealers have failed to attract customers in the numbers expected.

“The market has failed to catch up the tempo this Dashain. However, the situation is normal as we are having decent sales these days,” said Murari Gautam, director, sales and marketing of Nepa Hima Trade Link, the authorised dealer of Sony electronic products in Nepal.

The festive plan launched by Nepa Hima has not been able to lure customers in the way projected. “The festive scheme has definitely helped to attract a large number of customers to our store. However, as far as sales volume is concerned, the result is not good enough,” said Gautam. Sales of Sony electronic products have gone up by 60 to 70 percent compared to normal times, added Gautam. In particular, sales of cameras and Sony Bravia LCD televisions have swelled.

Nepa Hima Trade Link has launched a mammoth festive campaign called “Celebrate this festive season with the joy of Sony” under which it offers freebies like DTH service from Dish Nepal and a 10 gm silver coin.

Other exciting prizes have also been offered with the purchase of Alpha DSLR cameras, digital camcorders, cyber-shot cameras, home theatre systems and music systems. The company has also offered a five-day, four-night trip to Bangkok and Pattaya for two couples as a bumper prize to be won through a lucky draw.

Samsung, the other well-known leader in the electronics market, also has a similar tale to tell.

Amitesh Roy, marketing and communication manager of Him Electronics, the authorized dealer of Samsung in Nepal, said that this Dashain had not been able to produce the expected boom like in previous years. “As expected, we are witnessing an increase in sales of around 15 to 20 percent, but the volume should have been higher considering the trend in previous years,” he added.

Him Electronics has launched a scheme “Samsung Jhyammai” that offers customers a scratch card with the purchase of every Samsung product. Customers can win cash prizes, CFL bulbs, Samsung DVD players or Samsung microwave ovens. One lucky winner can also win a Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle. Moreover, the company is providing an

exclusive collection of Timex Swarovski Crystals for ladies and Timex Ironman Series for gentlemen on the purchase of a Samsung LCD or LED television.

Of the stuff that cheers us

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, SEP 30

Apart from their cultural and religious significance, Dashain and Tihar are also those occasions when most Nepalis prefer to experiment with different beverage brands. While whiskies are dominant products in all seasons and on all occasions, beers and wines have also grown bigger in terms of customer size and market share over the years.

According to local distilleries and breweries, sales normally increase up to 30 percent during festivals. The beer market currently stands at six million cartons per year which translates into 6,000,000 bottles per month. With the festive push, almost all the brands are expecting a big hike in sales and are busy readying their production lines and supply chains to cater to increased market demand. Gorkha Brewery leads the pack of beer brands with highest-selling products like Tuborg, San Miguel, Carlsberg and Gorkha Beer.

For those looking forward to a change in taste, Nepali wines can be worth a try. There are several popular local brands in the market like Hinwa, Grapple, Nettlange and Himali Ramble. According to Ram Thapa, proprietor of Shankata Wine Store and authorized dealer of almost all local wines, the market share of Nepali wines is around 10 percent. "Five years ago, the market penetration of Nepali wines was negligible but things have changed for the better now," said Thapa. "Those who have tried the local brands have discovered a liking for them."

Hinwa, one of the most popular Nepali wines is manufactured by Makalu Wine Industries at Sankhuwasabha. The manufacturing of Hinwa started in 1995 with the production of around 90 cases and at present its production has increased to 700 cases every month for Kathmandu itself. Made from wild fruits like Aaishelu, Chutro and Keshari this wine costs Rs 325 per 750 ml bottle. Grapple is another popular wine available in the local market. Made with black grapes imported from India and apples from Mustang the wine is priced at Rs 355 for a 750 ml bottle. Manufactured by Sakaro Beverages, Grapple is also available in a 4-litre jumbo pack. The jumbo pack is priced at Rs 1,850. Sakaro has one more brand under its belt. It has the popular brand Nettlange in the market.

Nettlange is also one of the most loved wine brands in the local market made from nettles (sishno) and oranges. "The sale of Nettlange is growing constantly as people are getting health conscious and wanting to sample Nettlange as it is made from nettles which are considered to be one of the healthiest foods," said Thapa. He added that the wine hit the market with 50 cases of wines a year ago. Now, at least 135 to 140 cases of it are sold every month in the capital itself. A 750 ml Nettlange wine bottle costs Rs 455. The price of the 4-litre jumbo Nettlange wine pack costs Rs 1,850. And for the extra health conscious people there's a totally chemical free Himali Ramble wine. Manufactured by Shree Ram Laxmi Distillery at Marpha, the wine is prepared by the local people themselves using domestic technology. The wine is available in the local market since 2000.

"For health conscious people, the wine has become ambrosia," said Thapa, the authorized distributor of Himali Ramble also. According to Chandra Thakali, proprietor of Shree Ram Laxmi Distillery, the company has provided full time employment opportunity to five people and part time employment opportunity to more than 15 people.

Where shoppers go shop, shop

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, SEP 30 -
If you are waiting for schemes and discount offers before heading off to buy something this festive season, then your wait is over with most of the shopping malls already starting their festive offers. Due to stiff competition at the local bazaar, almost all the malls have unveiled their festive offers.

Bhat-Bhateni, United World Trade Centre (UWTC), City Centre and Bluebird have launched various schemes to cash in on the festive mood as shoppers with thick wallets pour out onto the streets.

Dashain is a crucial period for shopping malls and departmental stores. "The annual turnover is hugely affected by the business during the festive season," said Pahal Gurung, director of Bhat-Bhateni Super Market. According to him sales go up by around 35 to 45 percent during this period.

Bhat-Bhateni is offering a 5 percent discount on electronic appliances, shoes and readymade garments this festive season. For customers who buy goods worth more than Rs. 3,000, there's a lottery coupon with the chance to win a free air ticket from Air Arabia.

The festive mood has started gathering momentum at the City Centre as well. According to Rajesh Lamichhane, chief general manager, most of the stores at the mall have started offering various schemes and discount offers to lure customers to their stores. Likewise, the mall is organizing a Dashain fair from Oct. 3. The fair will have 40 stalls featuring various products, said Lamichhane. However, the mall will offer its big schemes from Ghatasthapana.

The mall is preparing to hold a lucky draw everyday. The lottery is likely to be sponsored by Big Cinema, Big Mart, Food Court and others. The mall is also in talks with the Fulbari Resort, Pokhara for a tour package of three days and two nights. However, the plans are yet to be finalized. Similarly, a skill development programme for minors will be held at the mall on the day of Ghatasthapana.

The UWTC has invested big dough on festive schemes and discounts. The UWTC Traders Association has printed gift vouchers worth Rs. 10 million with each voucher being worth Rs. 500. These gift vouchers will be circulated to corporate houses, banks, colleges, schools and the general public, said Krishna Jung K.C., general secretary of the association. "Holders of the voucher will be entitled to receive a discount of Rs. 500 on anything they buy at the mall," added K.C. Dashain Bazaar was held at the UWTC a couple of days ago.

The UWTC is also offering prizes like dinner to a couple and a trip to Sauraha, Manakamana, Pokhara or Nagarkot to 300 individuals through a lucky draw. A lucky draw will be held to choose a winner from the invoices collected from the customers. The UWTC will remain in a festive mood for three months as its offer will last till then. Through its captivating schemes, it is targeting to double its sales.

Bluebird Mall is giving a 5 to 15 percent discount, said manager Prem Pokhrel. "Apart from a daily lucky draw, we're also thinking of providing a packaged tour to Europe for one lucky winner," added Pokhrel.



Major outlets / brands at Bluebird mall



John Players

Woodland

Giardano

Reebok



Major outlets / brands at kathmandu mall

UFO

Peanuts

Converse

John Players

Sites distress users

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, SEP 15

Shiva Pokhrel of Dillibazar received a facebook friendship request from a girl named Pooja Lama. Later, this friendship turned into a worst nightmare for Pokhrel as he frequently started receiving erotic messages along with vulgar comments from her. Finally, he blocked Pooja when he found out that girl was a sex-worker.

Sandeep Maharjan, of Basundhara also faced a similar ordeal. Through facebook, he befriended a guy named Sandip Thapa. However, he was stunned when he received a message from Thapa that read, “Nepali girl, one night Rs. 500.” Thapa even started sending pictures of nude women.

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Hi5 and Orkut, etc have become an integral part of modern life for urban dwellers. According to Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal (ISPAP), there are more than 600,000 facebook users alone in Nepal. But these social sites are also being increasedly used for peddling pornography and soliciting sex. Now, authorities are not ruling out blocking access to these sites. This comes amid the government’s tough line against pornographic sites. Access to Facebook has already been blocked intermittently in several countries including Pakistan, Syria, China, Vietnam and Iran following controversies and concerns over pornography.

It is also banned in many corporate houses in Nepal — partly to discourage employees from wasting productive hours. Now concerns about abuse of social networking sites are attracting the attention of the authorities as well.

“If necessary, we may block access to these sites,” said Kailash Prasad Neupane, Spokesman for the Nepal Telecommunications Authority. “We are also holding talks with the Home Ministry to deal with these issues.”

According to the Home Ministry, study on the impact of such sites is underway. “We are planning to issue a notice to the public in this regard soon in cooperation with the Authority. Internet service providers will also be urged to discourage the use of such sites,” said Jay Mukunda Khanal, Under-Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Internet service providers say that they are ready to cooperate with the authorities. “We have the ability to block access to these sites, but we can only do so if the government issues a directive,” said Binay Bohora, President, ISPAP. “We can block links to particular profiles if there is evidence of abuse,” he added.

Electronic Transaction Act 2063 prohibits the broadcasting of any obscene content through electronic media. Those found guilty can be fined up to Rs. 100,000 or five-year imprisonment or both.

Winners preen at due honour : 6th crity annual awards

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, SEP 19 -

The most creative advertisements and their makers were honoured in the 6th Crity Awards held on Saturday night at Soaltee Crowne Plaza. A total of 35 agencies vied for 22 award categories, with five nominations each.

Of the total participants, V-Chitra grabbed the limelight by scooping up five awards —best lyricist, best jingle composer, best TVC editor, best commercial campaign and best creative agency—with its Wai Wai —Gyan Udaya campaign. The agency was nominated in seven categories.

Ad Avenues and Welcome Advertising made a tie for second position, winning three awards each. Ad Avenues clinched awards the best TVC script writer, best TVC cameraperson for its advertisement of Nepal Telecom and best TVC director for Nepal Samachar Patra’s Na Madhesi, Na Himali advertisement. Welcome Advertising, on the other hand, bagged the best art director (print) award for R.K Jewelers’ advertisement and best sound recordist and most popular advertising for Jagadamba Steel’s Nepali Man Manma advertisement. Welcome Advertising bagged the award for most popular advertisement agency by clocking 1458 votes from the general viewers.

Echo Advertising Agency won two awards—the best TVC and best social ad.

Outreach Nepal, Sanjivani Media Services, Mice Ad Nepal, Max L’agence, Ad Point Nepal, Applied Value and Media Hub bagged one award each. Raj Bhai Suwal from Prisma Advertising Agency won the award for the best print photographer.

The award for the best creative youth, a new category added

this year, went to Rishikesh Dhakal and Suraj Giri. The ceremony also felicitated the winners of the best Daura Suruwal competition. While Kedar Sharma, Suman Raj Subedi, Birendra Hamal and Prabin Adhikari walked away with the prizes for best Daura Suruwal category, G.P Timilsina clinched the prize for the most unique Daura Suruwal.

Speaking on the occasion, Nirmal Raj Poudel, president of the Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN), said that the association has been able to manage the Nepali advertisement sector to some extent through the annual awards ceremony. He added that the sector has

provided employment to thousands of people and is still in search of creative manpower.

Winners

Best Copywriter (Print) Outreach Nepal

Best Print Photographer Raj Bhai Suwal (Prisma Advertising)

Best Art Director Sujan Chaudhary (Welcome Advertising & Marketing)

Best Jingle Composer Mohit Munal (V-Chitra)

Best Lyricist Araj Keshav (V-Chitra)

Best Sound Recordist Birendra Shakya (Welcome Advertising & Marketing)

Best Radio Spot Sanjivani Media Services

Best TVC Script Writer Abhaya Pandey (Ad Avenues Nepal)

Best Social Ad Echo Advertising Agency

Best Event Manager Mice Ad Nepal

Best Bill Board Max L’agence

Best TVC Cameraperson Bidur Pandey (Ad Avenues Nepal)

Best TVC Script Writer Abhaya Pandey (Ad Avenues Nepal)

Best TVC Editor Harshwardhan Shahani (V-Chitra)

Best TVC Director Abhaya Pandey (Ad Avenues Nepal)

Best Radio Jingle Ad Point Nepal

Best Print Advertising Applied Value

Best Animated TVC (Kiran Bhakta Joshi) Media Hub

Best TVC Echo Advertising Agency

Most Popular TVC Welcome Advertising & Marketing

Best Commercial Campaign V-Chitra

Best Creative Agency V-Chitra

Best Creative Youth Rishikesh Dhakal and Suraj Giri

Ducati to hit Nepali roads in November

SANJEEV GIRI

KATHMANDU, SEP 21 -

One of the most popular motorcycle brands in Europe and America, Ducati is all set to make its debut in the Nepali market. Turbo Motors Trading, authorized dealer of Ducati motorcycles in Nepal, is launching the machine by the first week of November.

Ducati is best known for high performance motorcycles characterised by large capacity four-stroke, L-twin (90° twin-cylinder) engines featuring a desmodromic valve design.

Modern Ducatis remain among the dominant performance motorcycles available today partly because of the desmodromic valve design. Desmodromic valves are closed with a separate, dedicated cam lobe and lifter instead of the conventional valve springs used in most internal combustion engines in consumer vehicles.

According to Abhinav J.B. Rana, chairperson of Turbo Motors Trading, the bikes are being launched in Nepal to cater to Nepalis bikers who have a passion for racing bikes. “Besides, this Ducati is one of the most famous motorbike brands and has unique looks, unlike other racing bikes available in the market which has motivated us to launch this bike in Nepal,” said Rana.

Three models of Ducati motorcycles—the Monster 696, Monster 796 and Hypermotard 796—will arrive from Bologna, Italy, he added. These motorcycles are equipped with 700 cc, 800 cc and 800 cc engines respectively. While the Monster 696 and the Hypermotard will be available in black, red and white colours, the Monster 796 will be available in two colour options, black and red.

The bike has been able to create a huge buzz in the market before its launching. Rana said that they were receiving an encouraging response from biking enthusiasts. “Even before its launching, we are receiving a lot of enquiries. I am optimistic that the bikes will get a good response when they hit the market too,” added Rana. “At first, we will import three units of the Monster 696, two units of the Monster 796 and three units of the Hypermotard 796.” The company aims to sell 10 to 15 units in the debut year itself.

Likewise, the company will bring other Ducati models such as the Super Bike, Sport Classic, Multistrada and Street

Fighter if they receive orders from customers. “We are planning to launch four other models of Ducati bikes in the near future if we receive the expected response from customers,” Rana said.

Ducati’s debut will mean that there will be one more motorbike brand in the Nepali market which participates in the motogp race. Other companies which take part in the race and whose products are available in Nepal are Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki. Among the SAARC nations, the motorbike is currently available only in India and Pakistan.

Ducati bikes are rated number one in terms of performance and style, Rana said. The company will also offer Ducati apparels in the market in the near future.

Turbo Motors Trading plans to open outlets at three places in Kathmandu,

namely Kupandol, Putali Sadak and Naxal, in the first phase. The company will maintain ample stocks of major spare parts and import others from India and Italy as required. A specialized workshop will be set up in the valley, said Rana.