Toshiba TVs are still listed on many e-commerce portals in the country but are available at none. China-based Hisense Group had acquired Toshiba Visual Solutions in 2018
Image for representation only…Japan based Toshiba may have tied up with modern trade retail chain Vijay Sales in India. The company, as per an individual has been doing business in India from last three months. Toshiba product display counters, may come up at various Vijay Sales stores in a week or two.
The individual told Electronics For You, “Toshiba will soon launch an LED TV range in the country. Vijay Sales could be the first modern trade retail chain to start selling Toshiba TVs in the country. Toshiba ACs will soon be available through Vijay Sales in India.”
Interestingly, reports of Toshiba quitting India market had made headlines of several news portals in 2016 and 2017. Toshiba air conditioners, at the moment, are services and retailed by Carrier in India.
Toshiba brand promoters already hired
The individual told Electronics For you that Toshiba has laready hired brand promotion team in the country. He said, “The team will be responsible for on-ground activations first.” The company also plans to take the digital marketing route to promote its upcoming range of TVs and other electronics. Toshiba, as per the individual, will majorly be targeting Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India.
Though Toshiba TVs are still listed on many e-commerce portals in the country but they are available at none. All the e-commerce portals show Toshiba TVs as out of stock.
Two possibilities
Electronics For You learnt that there are two major possibilities about Toshiba entering the LED TV market in India. First the Company, as per the individual can enter the TV segment either this or the next month. Second, on digging deeper we also found out that the brand may also postpone the TVs launch to the festive season of Diwali 2019.
Toshiba, in 2016, had issued a statement about its exit from India. The statement had read, “The Toshiba group is undertaking a fundamental restructuring of its visual products business and personal computer business globally. Toshiba already stopped their operation of television sales last year (2015) in India and is currently considering a brand licensing structure regarding its overseas television business, including India. Regarding the PC business, Toshiba will end the B2C business in markets other than Japan and US.”
We still are awaiting clarity on whether the brand will re-enter TV market in India on its own, or if Toshiba’s plans include taking the same route as it took for its ACs in 2016. Though, it is for sure that Toshiba TV will hit the Indian marlet this year. It is to be noted here that China-based Hisense Group had acquired Toshiba Visual Solutions in 2018.
