“Sales of air-conditioners have increased sharply. Now we are selling 10,000-12,000 units a month during this summer season,” said Emdadul Haque Sarker, executive director (marketing) of Walton.Local Walton brand and Singer products are on top of the sale usually dominated by Sony-Rangs, LG-Butterfly, General and Gree. Majority of the customers are choosing air-conditioners of local brands because of their relaxed prices in limited budget. Buyers are mostly looking for 1.5-tonne and 2-tonne air conditioners, he said. Currently, Walton is selling air conditioners at prices between Tk31,500 and Tk57,600. “The brand is on top of customers’ choice here in the country due to its affordable price range and zero-interest instalment facility,” Emdadul added. Singer Bangladesh is also offering zero-interest six-month instalment scheme, along with cash-back offer up to Tk6,700 against the purchase of air conditioners. The prices of Singer air conditioners range between Tk42,000 and Tk74,900. For air-coolers, this is between Tk7,500 and Tk9,999 and the price of fans varies from Tk2,000 to Tk3,300. “Sale of our air conditioners has shot up since the past week. People, mostly from middle-income group, are buying mainly 1.5-tonne air conditioners,” said Fazlul Haque, manager of Singer brand’s Sewrapara branch. Outlets of many renowned air conditioner brands are selling at least 15 air conditioners each day, according to the market sources. “Given the current trend, we are expecting record sale of air conditioners,” said Saiful Ahmed, a sales executive of Esquire Electronics Ltd. Esquire electronics is offering special cash discount plus zero-interest 12-equated monthly instalment for General brand air-conditioners.
Days of unrelenting heat across the country has caused a sharp rise in air-conditioners, air-coolers and fans as people being burnt under scorching sun rush to buy the cooling appliances.
Bangabandhu National Stadium Market, the biggest marketplace of electronic appliances in Dhaka, is now buzzing with buyers of air-conditioners and other cooling appliances.
“The summer heat has become unbearable. We cannot even sleep at night,” Sajanur Rahman, a shopper at the Bangabandhu Statidum Market in Gulistan, was describing their suffering due to rising temperature that has already exceeded 37 degrees Celcius. He came all the way from the city’s Muhammadpur area to buy a 1.5-tonne air-conditioner for home.
The mad rush for cooling appliances started since mid-March and it is expected to continue until the end of May, according to the traders. Amid this bonanza of sales, manufacturers of the products are making different lucrative offers like gifts, cash discounts and instalment facility to customers to grab as bigger their share as possible.
