“Festive sales continue to be a key contributor to overall business performance”

With Dussehra/ Durga Puja underway, the country is in the throes of festive fervour. After no festive celebrations last year due to the pandemic, consumers and brands returning to the markets with a vengeance. With the vaccination drive gathering momentum and most of the COVID-19 restrictions lifted, there is a general air of optimism. Offices, market places, educational institutions, malls and cinema halls – all have now opened, giving people a sense of return to normalcy.

Like the rest of India, the East and North-East markets are in a resurgent mood. Durga Puja is the biggest festival in West Bengal and Tripura and is also celebrated extensively in Assam and other parts of the North-East. Markets are seeing the return of shoppers, with revenge shopping trend gaining precedence. Amid COVID-29 protocols, the shopping frenzy has begun and will reach a crescendo during Diwali. Experts believe that this is not just revenge shopping, but also a re-assertion and reclaiming of a life that one was living before the pandemic struck.

This festive season, Adgully turns the spotlight on the East and North-East markets and is speaking to a cross-section of brands, marketers and market experts to gauge the mood of the shoppers and brand sentiments.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Shirish Agarwal, Head - Brand and Marketing Communications, Panasonic India, speaks about the demand surge seen across India, the company’s online and offline strategies for the festive season and more.

What kind of sentiments do you see in the East markets during this festive season? Are these sentiments close to the pre-COVID levels?

We are seeing a shift in consumer behaviour from price consciousness towards quality, value proposition and safety, across regions. There’s a steady rise in demand for appliances such as smart 4K Android TVs, connected range of ACs (HU series), Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Microwaves, and other lifestyle appliances. We are hopeful that this festive season will bring in the much-awaited festive cheer for the industry, leading towards an upward growth trajectory.

How are you planning your strategy for online and offline sales? What kind of footfalls are you expecting during this festival?

Festive sales continue to be a key contributor to the overall business performance. As a part of our robust omni-channel strategy, Panasonic has been continuously working towards upgrading its online and offline channels to provide a better purchase experience to consumers. Although the online channel has grown, the offline channel continues to play an important role in sales.

Any specific campaign strategies planned for the festival season? What kind of discounts and offers have you come up with for your customers this year?

We have already announced our festive campaign, ‘Grand Delights’, for consumers. Here, we are providing promotional offers, extended warranties, attractive and easily accessible credit/ finance facilities such as zero down payment, long-term EMI schemes, and up to 12 months of no-cost EMI across our value-proposition appliances.