Epson Philippines projects prices of laser printers to
decline to monochrome printer levels in the next two to three years.
Following significant sales growth from the introduction of
its colored laser printers last year, the Japanese company’s Philippine unit
said this would be in anticipation of a gradual phase out of monochrome printers
in the next five years.
Joselito Vitug, Epson Philippines corporate sales head, told
reporters that more printing companies will ease out monochrome printers to give
way to colored versions and thereby lower the price of these printers.
“Our focus [now] is colored printers. It is possible to phase
out monochrome [printers] in the next five years,” he said.
Market appetite for the colored version, however, remains weak
because of their higher prices, Vitug said.
He said companies have yet to realize that owning colored
printers would enhance their investment and even add to their profits.
“They can charge more with colored printers. Their ROI [return
on investment] in colored printers would be higher,” he said.
In this regard, Epson will continue to forge partnerships with
small print shops and home-based businesses to impart the benefits of colored
printers.
The company aims to grow sales by 11 percent to P1.75 billion
this year. Last year, the company posted sales of P1.57 billion.
Jino Carlo Alvarez, Epson assistant general manager for sales
and marketing, said the company exceeded its business plan for 2004 by 114
percent. This, he said, was largely due to the high returns they got from
selling colored printers and the business from printer consumables.
The company’s marketing efforts such as the launch of its new
printer products, consumable products, and its tie-ups such as the one with
Disney Pixar in making posters for the movie cartoon, The Incredibles, increased
Epson sales last year.
Likewise, sales derived from printer consumables, which refer
to the sales of printer inks or cartridges and other specialized products such
as water-resistant inks, translated into higher sales. This was further
strengthened by the company’s proshop scheme, which aims to promote genuine
Epson inks to small print shops.
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