Gionee in mad dash to enter Thai market
Chinese smartphone maker Gionee has a year-end deadline to break into the Thai market, which is already dominated by its compatriots.
Gionee will enter a market that is already dominated by Chinese phonemakers like Oppo, Vivo, Huawei and Xiaomi (which made its entry this year). The company, however, plans to use its Thailand office as a springboard to penetrate other Southeast Asian countries.
Yu Bao Zheng, chief executive of Gionee Thailand, said there is still space for Gionee to expand its footprint in the crowded Thai market.
Vivo and Huawei, for example, have rapidly scaled their businesses in Thailand, which may signal Thai consumers’ trust of Chinese brands and the opportunity for growth.
Gionee says its special security, battery, camera and design features can effectively differentiate it from other brands.
“Gionee has been in the business for more than 15 years. We have gained expertise in manufacturing. In China, we have 300,000 distribution channels. Our market share in China is close to 10%,” said Mr Zheng.
Gionee has already expanded into Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and India.
The firm recently introduced its M7 Power model at the Thailand Mobile Expo, and recruited actress Natapohn ‘Taew’ Tameeruks as its first brand ambassador.
The Gionee M7 Power, equipped with a six-inch full display and 13-megapixel camera, retails for 9,990 baht.
“I don’t think there is a particular way to market — there is no too quick or too slow. Over the past few years, many Chinese smartphone companies have gained lots of attention for expanding overseas,” said Mr Zheng.
On a global scale, Chinese phonemakers may be ready to face market leader Samsung, especially in India, the USA and Africa, where they have built a successful business. Gionee says its investment in Thailand will be similarly successful.
The Thailand office will be managed by its headquarters in China, which will focus on building the brand, staying competitive in the market, and using Thailand as a base market to expand into Malaysia, Laos and other countries in the region.
“We aim to be one of the top six smartphone brands in Thailand, and capture 5% of the Thai smartphone market in 2018,” said Mr Zheng.