An increasing number of Kenyans are shifting to bigger and more expensive TVs in a move that has seen dealers shun stocking the smaller screen Television sets.
Consumers keen on shifting with the modern trends are increasingly demanding for the 55-inch TV’s while demand for the 32-inch TV’s has recorded a decline and majority of dealers in Nairobi’s Luthuli Avenue say they no longer stock 24 inch sets.
A spot check across various shops in Nairobi has confirmed the trend, with dealers now stocking more TV’s in the range of Sh40,000 upto Sh700,000.
Maryann Khalif a trader at Electronics house in Nairobi CBD, says that they witnessed a spike in sales in the first two weeks of June as Kenyans wanted a front row seat to watch the Euro championships.
However, the sales were dampened in the two weeks to June 30, as tension gripped the country over Finance Bill and the eventual protest that followed.
Samsung electronics head of consumer electronics business for the Kenyan market Samuel Odhiambo says that with the Euro cup, the month to month to month sales recorded a 15 per cent increase.
“TV has gone into a lot of changes in the recent past, five or six years ago 32 inch TVs were the in thing but we have transitioned, guys are buying 55 inch now and opting for bigger sizes better picture quality,” said Odhiambo during the unveiling of the company’s premium TV line up.
He added that the smaller sizes are still in the market but the sales have gone down. However, not at the rate at which the bigger screens uptake is increasing.
“We expect a 30 per cent increase in the sales of premium TVs, this is due to the fact that the prices have dropped,” said Odhiambo.
The Kenyan TV & Video eCommerce market is predicted to reach US$16.2 million (Sh2billion) by 2024 and account for 12.3 per cent of the Consumer Electronics eCommerce market in Kenya.
The expected annual growth rate for the next four years to 2028 will be 7.3 per cent, resulting in a projected market volume of US$21.5 million by 2028.
The TV & Video eCommerce market is a sub-market of the Consumer Electronics market.
"We are pushing the boundaries of home entertainment by integrating AI to enhance traditional viewing experiences. This year's TV lineup demonstrates our commitment to innovation, offering products that provide premium viewing quality while significantly enhancing our consumers' lifestyles," said Samsung Electronics East Africa head of the consumer electronics division, Rahul Kochhar.
