Godrej Appliances, the home appliance maker which entered the television category last year, is planning to tap newer markets in the country this year. In a month the company is rolling out its televisions in three states after which it will launch it in four other states over six months. The company aims to become a pan-India TV player by the end of FY11. The foray into televisions was a strategic move to become a larger name across households. Godrej currently sells LCDs and ultra-slim televisions in Andhra Pradesh and plans to roll out TVs to other parts of India in a planned step-by-step manner, Ramesh Chembath, general manager (marketing), Godrej Appliances, said.“In Andhra Pradesh we are as big on service front as any other television player. It is a very strategic move from us to enter the category and we are making sure that we have our service network in place as we launch the product in other parts of the country,” Chembath said.Beside this, company’s low-cost refrigerator for hinterland, Chota Cool, is under test and would be launched in the coming few months. “Chota Cool is for customers who have limited needs of refrigeration and do not see great value in typically large refrigerators. We will look at catering to the up-country market through this product, which will be sold cheap,” Chembath said.The company had earlier suggested a price point of Rs 3,000 for the low-cost refrigerator but Chembath said it was yet to crack the price code. “This concept is unlike any other and the technology is also very different. For this, we will need to reach to customers through models other than the traditional retail. We will need different strategy on logistics, distribution and service. As we reach a satisfaction level on infrastructure front, we will launch the Chota Cool refrigerators,” he said To create huge offtake in sales, the company is also running a consumer offer in a non-offer season time, where consumers will be given high-end Timex brand watches on purchase of Godrej Appliances products. The appliance maker is also promoting its Eon iFresh refrigerators and Eon Mirror Star air conditioners through Godrej Group’s recently launched virtual world game GoJiyo. It is also tying up with Miss Universe for promoting its refrigerators, a category where most of company’s communication for the fiscal will revolve around.  The company is looking at reporting a 45% sales growth for FY10.

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