In response to the growing demand for home appliances, entertainment and air conditioning solutions in East Africa, LG Electronics has announced its plan to expand the region’s market.
The South Korean firm is opening new shops in four East African countries namely Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan and Kenya.
According to LG Electronics East Africa Managing Director Sa Nyoung Kim, the company will refurbish 20 shops and launch additional ones targeting an increasingly tech-savvy, environmentally-conscious consumer seeking premium products to match their lifestyle.
Nyoung Kim said the planned shops across the region will be high footfall, high-sales stores designed to enhance customer experience for the new technologies and products the company has to offer.
LG Electronics is also keen on the growing market for wearables, driven by lifestyle changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
These include OLED TV, InstaView refrigerator, TWINWash washing machine, Neochef microwave and Vivace AI-powered washing machines.
Kim also noted that LG Electronics is planning to expand further into the East African region by growing its premium category and providing the kind of experience desired by customers.
“Over the last few years, we have been expanding our physical presence in the East Africa region. We plan to take this further by growing our premium category and providing the kind of experience our customers desire, be they individuals or businesses seeking first class technology with the right support,” said Kim.
According to Kim, consumer trends point to steady growth in the business-to-consumer and business-to-business segments, with notable increase in purchase of premium products like refrigerators, TVs and washing machines incorporating the latest energy-saving technologies.
LG recently launched a second store in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, located at Mlimani City – in its strategic partnership with Mohamed Enterprises Tanzania Limited Group (MeTL).
The consumer electronics giant is currently rolling out a number of premium products in East Africa with the latest core technology featuring intelligent applications.
MeTL marketing director Fatema Dewji, said during the launch of the shop in June, 2021 that apart from being environmentally-friendly, the LG television sets, washing machines, refrigerators and other electronic equipment being distributed under their partnership arrangement were made of a new technology, which uses less electricity.
These help households conserve energy, water and are environmentally-friendly and easily usable even by physically impaired persons, thus promoting diversity and inclusion, which are key sustainable development goals.
With many consumers spending most of their time indoors today, music, film and gaming subscriptions have surged, leading to strong sales of home appliances.
More people are also buying technology products for remote work and online learning as well as cooking and entertainment.
“It has become evident during the pandemic that technology is even more important in people’s lives, coupled with innovations that support efficiency and healthy living,” explained Kim.
Sales of wearables have climbed as consumers engage in indoor activities like exercise to remain healthy while working at home. The LG PuriCare wearable air purifier signals the latest push by the company into the portable protection category.
Last year, LG also launched e-showrooms in Kenya in a bid to increase reach to tech-savvy consumers shopping for electronic appliances and devices online.
THE EXCHANGE