itel has highest brand consideration in the INR 7,000 segment from consumers: CMR

itel has highest brand consideration in the INR 7,000 segment from consumers: CMR

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Birender Singh

  • itel continues to make gains in the affordable smartphone segment, leading the competition in sub INR 7,000 segment in terms of current satisfaction, advocacy and future consideration.
  • Net Promoter Score (NPS) of Itel is the highest followed by realme and Xiaomi.
  • itel users are most satisfied with its product quality, price and value for money.

Gurugram, 11 October 2021: As per new CMR Insights on the go Survey findings from CyberMedia Research (CMR), over the course of the pandemic, the smartphone (in the sub INR 7000 segment) has been a key enabler of human lives. In the pandemic year, Indians spend over 522 hours on online education, and over 738 hours on infotainment on their smartphones. In the sub INR 7000 smartphone segment, consumers seek the best-in-class specs, and value for money offerings. itel has made rapid gains in the India smartphone market, and is now a clear leader. itel leads the competition in this smartphone segment, in terms of current brand satisfaction, advocacy and future consideration. itel users are most satisfied with its product quality, price and value for money. itel has the highest NPS (60%) followed by realme (58%) and Xiaomi (54%).

Commenting on the study findings, Prabhu Ram, Head- Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), “Over the course of the pandemic, the smartphone has been a key conduit for enabling human lives. Whether it be online education, digital payments, or consuming infotainment, the smartphone has enabled consumers across Urban and Aspirational (Tier-III cities and beyond). For the value conscious buyers in the sub INR 7,000 smartphone segment, smartphone brands, such as itel, have consistently focused on bringing increasingly accessible and affordable smartphones, packed with the best-in-class trendy innovations, that enable the consumers to connect with India’s growing digital economy.”

Here are the key study highlights in the sub INR 7,000 smartphone segment:

●       Smartphone Purchase Considerations

    • Nearly two in every three smartphone users visit nearby mobile store for purchasing smartphone.
    • In purchasing their next smartphone, consumers trust recommendation from loved ones (79%) as well as retailers (77%).
  • Smartphone Brandscape (Sub INR 7000 smartphone segment)
    • Consumer Satisfaction: itel (98%), realme (96%) and Xiaomi (96%) consumers are the most satisfied with their smartphones. City wise, itel has got 100% satisfaction in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Guwahati. realme has got 100% satisfaction in Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Xiaomi has got 100% satisfaction in Lucknow, Bhubaneswar and Indore.
    • Brand Advocacy: Net Promoter Score (NPS) of itel is the highest (60%) followed by realme (58%) and Xiaomi (54%). City wise, itel scores highest in Bengaluru (78%), Chandigarh (75%) and Jaipur (68%) whereas realme scores highest in Delhi (76%) and Chennai (72%).
    • Future smartphone brand consideration: Amongst consumers, itel is the most considered choice (59%), followed by Samsung (50%) for future purchase. City wise, itel is the most considered choice for upgrade in Guwahati (82%), Chennai (79%) and Jaipur (75%). Similarly, Samsung is the most considered choice for upgrade in cities such as Delhi (83%), Bangalore (78%) and Lucknow (70%).
  • Brand Imagery:
    • Samsung wins for ease of availability, product quality, and good after-sales service.
    • Consumers associate itel with trendy technology, sleek design, good quality at affordable prices.
    • realme scores with consumers for its design aesthetics, product quality and high repeat purchase.
  • Smartphones as Life Enablers:
    • Online Education:
      • 56% smartphone users have enrolled for new online education programs since the pandemic began.
      • Byjus (38%), Unacademy (17%) and Vedantu (17%) are the most preferred apps for digital courses.
    • Mobile Payments:
      • 58% smartphone users undertake digital transaction on their smartphones; Indians spend close to INR 8,500, mostly for digital payments.
      • PhonePe (69%), Google Pay (62%) and Paytm (46%) are the most popular apps for digital payments.
    • Infotainment:
        • 28% smartphone users spend around INR 1000 on infotainment per month.
      • Amazon PrimeVideo (41%), Gaana (28%) and Dailyhunt (15%) are the top three apps for entertainment, music and news.

According to Satya Sundar Mohanty, Head- Industry Consulting Group (ICG), CMR, “For consumers in the sub INR 7,000 smartphone segment, the top three key considerations for smartphones include accessibility, affordability and availability. They trust smartphone brands that offer durable devices, focus on trendy smartphone specs, and deliver on reliable after-sales. Brands, such as itel, that are able to deliver on these front are the real winners with the highest net-promoter score in the price segment. ”

Notes for Editors

The CMR Insights On the Go study covered 2150 consumers, cutting across 12 cities of India: New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Guwahati and Kochi. The study covered consumers in the age groups of 18 to 40, and socio-economic levels of SEC B & SEC C.

For queries, please contact: releases@cmrindia.com