As India goes through the multimedia explosion, with use of digital gadgets like laptops, mobiles, cameras and camcorders rising, the market for digital memory cards is also witnessing growth in excess of 30% per annum.
With rising sales of digital devices, memory cards are growing strongly.
KOLKATA: As India goes through the multimedia explosion, with use of digital gadgets like laptops, mobiles, cameras and camcorders rising, the market for digital memory cards is also witnessing growth in excess of 30% per annum. However, consumers beware! More than 70% of the market is in the hands of unorganised sector players.
The memory cards market is currently worth two million units a year.
Today, most multi-purpose digital devices need additional memory space. Even moderately priced mobile phones now flaunt digital cameras, making it imperative for the device to have additional storage slots. Digital cameras too often require extra memory sticks for providing a greater number of high- resolution pictures. Coupled with this is the increase in laptop usage, facilitated by ever declining prices.
While Sony’s memory cards can be used only with its own products, those from SanDisk of the US, MCC and others can find application in other brands.
However, industry sources rue that the market is very unorganised, with fake and reconditioned products that offer no guarantee accounting for over 70%.
“Memory cards are an emerging and discordant market in India. Organised players are trying hard to compete with the grey market. We are hedged in by the 25% tax component as well,” said Ajay Mehta, CEO, MCC, which sources memory cards from Taiwan and markets them in India under its own brand name. “Combating the grey players at this juncture is difficult since the market is highly fragmented.”
An industry source said, “Consumer awareness is also low. The only way to get a legitimate product is to buy from authorised outlets and make sure the product is contained in a sealed pack.”
The price of memory cards varies from Rs 700-4,000 across 128 megabytes to 4 gigabytes.
The cards are available on three platforms - secure digital, compact flash and multimedia. The first finds application in 75% of the market in India.
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