The South Korean giant has not rested for a moment with its smartphone launches.
Just a few months ago, it launched in Israel the series of devices with its folding screens: Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, and now it is just a few months before the launch of the flagship models from the Galaxy S23 series.
Samsung is a somewhat strange phenomenon in the local market, it is not only about its large presence in Israel, the ability to spend huge sums on advertising and influencers, which no other mobile company does here, but also about importers working with its local representative.
Unlike Xiaomi, which has one official importer (Hamilton) and unlike Apple, which has a lot of importers, but is not completely identified with the brand (iDigital, iStore, C Data, etc.), in Samsung the imports are a little different.
In 2014, Samsung decided to divide its smartphone import market in Israel, so that Sunny will be the importer for the open market, i.e. cellular networks, electricity and various points of sale, and the cellular operators, i.e. Cellcom, Partner, Pelephone and Hot Mobile will carry out official imports themselves and sell to their customers.
Until that decision, Sunny was the main and exclusive importer.
This situation led to confusion among customers, on the one hand there is a chain of stores called Samsung, which already has almost 30 branches in malls in Israel (recently the 29th branch was opened in the Sharon Mall in Netanya).
These stores are branded Samsung and offer a premium experience, when they belong to Sunny.
On the other hand, smartphones officially imported by the cellular operators are not only sold by them, but also in the networks associated with them.
In short, a mess.
"Gives warranty for Samsung products sold through Sunny", photo: Tzachi Hoffman
What is the difference in purchasing a Samsung smartphone at Sunny Import from other official importers?
"I give warranty for Samsung products sold through Sunny, I work with Samsung's service systems and also with their standards.
For example, if a customer's screen breaks, I am also obliged to replace his battery, because this is Samsung's standard and even if it costs a lot of money, I am obliged to it.
In our repairs, we seal the smartphones to water as they left the factory, this solution is not available in any laboratory comprehensively.
It is true that in the end a customer sees on TV or on the Internet the words "official importer" at a cellular operator, this is not consumer deception, because they buy directly from Samsung, but when a customer sees this, he understands that this is a manufacturer's warranty and it is not.'
To what level of service are the cellular operators that officially import Samsung smartphones committed to?
"We are defined in Samsung as a Maker Service, we provide a manufacturer's warranty with Samsung's diagnostic tools and in accordance with their processes we are also monitored on a daily level through Samsung's global systems on the quality of the service we provide - technical and process.
The cellular operators work with the BOG mechanism, which stands for Buy Out Guarantee.
This means that the operator purchases Samsung smartphones at a certain cost and receives a discount for self-repair to customers who purchased through it.
This is not a Samsung manufacturer's warranty.
The technician of that operator also repairs iPhones, both Xiaomi and Samsung.
"Sales in the business sector compensated for the decrease in sales in the consumer market", photo: Tzachi Hoffman
How do you create differentiation between your network and the other mobile/gadget stores that sell the same products, especially since a large audience buys Samsung smartphones online?
"We have very invested stores, where all our stores are service centers.
There are people who buy from another network that is next to me in the mall and come to receive guidance from me.
Sunny operates the Samsung brand stores and it is excellent for me to strengthen the brand and provide service even to those who did not shop at the brand store.
A customer who enters our store comes with a very high expectation of receiving service and explanations.
For example, connecting the smart watch to a smartphone.
We enjoy a very large traffic, because not all people manage to transfer materials, such as messages to the new smartphone they purchased and more.
"Customers who enter our store can ask the sellers questions and get answers, because they only sell one brand and I do everything to make them world champions in their knowledge of it, this is in contrast to chains whose seller also sells iPhones, Samsungs, laptops, and gaming products.
"Besides that, all our branches include laboratories, so that in 50% of cases, a customer comes in, goes to drink coffee in the mall, comes back and the device is ready.
In the rest of the cases, we send the devices to be repaired at the central laboratory.'
"We hope the laptops will arrive in 2023", photo: Tzachi Hoffman
Trade-in setup and inventory for the entire catalog
Is the whole service issue you mentioned the one that makes the products sold in your import more expensive than the imports of the cellular operators?
It costs the customer a little more but for some customers it actually represents a low cost because they need this set of benefits.
Other customers who "make ends meet" have no problem buying online or purchasing anywhere else.'
During the peak period of the Corona, sales of tablets rose alongside laptops, are they still in demand?
"It's amazing what's happening in the field of tablets.
During the Corona period, of course, we saw a jump in sales.
I was sure that there would be a lull in 2021, but it wasn't.
Even in 2022 I was sure that there would be a calm and also not.
This happens because there is a world of tablets in the B2B market, for example, hardened tablets and terminal tablets, these are devices that are used by sales agents, rescue teams and teaching staff.
Sales in the business sector compensated for the decrease in sales in the consumer market.
A whole world of business apps for Android tablets has developed: education, business, etc.
Samsung is almost the only player in the Android tablet market and there are also no cheap Chinese tablets that play in this category, due to the issue of security.
By the way, fewer people buy Apple tablets for businesses because they are expensive for this field, except for startups and high-tech companies.
Another reason for the growth in the market is Samsung's launch of the Tab S8 series, which also includes an Android tablet with a 14-inch screen, this is a tablet that matches the iPad Pro, which until then was alone in this category.
The screen is amazing, there is a stylus pen and there is a whole world of accessories such as a keyboard, smart covers, etc. This product is sold in large quantities, with my stores selling hundreds of units a month.
It is a very expensive product, which holds the category.
In a standard university classroom today you will see most of the students without a laptop and without a notebook.
They do everything in class on this type of tablet.'
Today you mainly sell Samsung smartphones, tablets and smart watches, what about products like Samsung laptops?
"Every year we want to launch this category.
During the Corona period there were no goods in the world.
This year Samsung is dealing with the markets it operates in and we hope that in 2023 it will come.
I can say that it is in Sunny's plans and we have an agreement with Samsung, that the launch of the laptops, when it happens, will be through us.
I hope the launch will be next year.'
Posted on The Gadget Reviews website
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