Plasma TVs attract more consumers

Plasma TVs attract more consumers

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With all of its technological advantages -- and now decreasing
price -- Plasma TVs will likely attract increasingly more
consumers here.

So far, the biggest consumers of these high-end products is
still the corporate sector, while the number of products
purchased by individuals is still relatively small.

"The corporate sector is still the biggest consumer for these
products," managing director of PT Samsung Indonesia Lee Khang
Hyun told The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.

With a price tag at US$4,000 per unit -- the price varies
depending on model -- only the wealthy and the corporate sector
can afford these TVs.

The newly opened Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the Mega Kuningan
business district in South Jakarta has purchased 300 Plasma TVs
while the Mangga Dua Square shopping mall in West Jakarta has
bought 200 units.

Lee added that on average his company sold 200 Plasma TVs a
month. It is the biggest selling so far in the country.

According to Lee, his company produces Plasma TVs in various
sizes. However, consumers mostly buy the standard 42-inch Plasma
TVs with the lowest price of US$3,000. The price has
significantly decreased, from $4,000 early this year and $5,000
last year.

Plasma TVs offer a much better picture quality in terms of
sharpness and brightness compared to conventional TVs. They are
able to display 16.77 million unique colors, thus providing a
highly accurate and lifelike picture.

Given its size and light weight, and especially its thinness,
it is the most suitable type of TV for home theater.

The increasing number of Plasma TV consumers has drawn PT
Samsung's competitor PT LG Electronics Indonesia (LGEIN) to also
pay more attention to this product.

This company expects to start increasing production of Plasma
TVs in the third quarter of this year.

Given its high price, LGEIN, a local unit of South Korean LG
Electronics Inc., will target their marketing efforts at the
commercial market, such as office buildings, hotels and shopping
malls, rather than individual customers.

This year's market for Plasma TVs is estimated to reach 6,000
units, an increase from around 2,000 to 3,000 last year.

In order to attract more buyers, PT Samsung Indonesia has
launched its Samsung Digital Plaza located in Plaza Pondok Indah
in March.

This plaza presents Samsung Electronics' premium products and
technology, including its Plasma TV, that are already available
locally as well as those that have been introduced in other
countries and have yet to be made available here.