The FINANCIAL — Nokia is maintaining its lead position in sales in 2011. It is still the best-selling mobile phone brand in Georgia and all over the world.
The cheapest models, sold for 100 USD in Tbilisi, are the most popular mobile phones in the country. Nokia is followed by Samsung and Sony Ericsson in the popularity stakes.
According to data provided by Magti, 804,425 Nokia mobile phones are currently registered in the company’s network. As for Geocell, out of its total number of subscribers, which recently reached 2 million, 45.05% have Nokia brand mobile phones. 17.5% of subscribers have a Samsung and 9.04% – Sony Ericsson. These are the top three best-selling mobile phone brands in Georgia.
Comparing this data to last year’s data, there is no significant difference: 43.7% for Nokia, 18.56% for Samsung, and 11.46% – Sony Ericsson.
The most popular Nokia models in 2011 are the 5130, 2730 and C3-00 according to David Kartvelishvili, Head of Marketing at Trade House Goletiani, authorized dealer of Nokia in Georgia. “These are middle budget mobile phones. Out of high budget mobile phones the top-selling model is the Nokia N8 and from business series phones – the Nokia E72. Compared with last year there is a 10% increase in Nokia mobile phone sales in 2011. This is based on data from January 1 to July 20 of the current year,” Kartvelishvili added.
The Nokia 513 costs 172 GEL, the Nokia 2730 – 177 GEL, Nokia N8 – 850 GEL, and Nokia E72 – 570 GEL.
According to the small mobile phone shops located in the central trading centres Kidobani and Megaline, the best-selling brand is Nokia and its best-selling models are: the Nokia N 70, Nokia 5070, Nokia N 95, Nokia N 93, Sony Eriksson K 770, and Samsung U 700.
The sellers and managers of small mobile phones shops in Kidobani said that out of original mobile phone brands Nokia is the leader, however out of Chinese counterfeit mobile phones – iPhone and Blackberry take first position. In most cases customers don’t pay attention to whether mobile phones are authentic or fake. The main demand is for good design. For customers what’s most important is how the mobile phone looks. After that, customers pay the most attention to price. Lower priced models are bestsellers. Last place in terms of customers’ interests goes to the functions of mobile phone.
“One customer paid 810 GEL for a Nokia mobile phone simply for it having a beautiful design. She said that when she took the mobile phone from her pocket everyone would be jealous of her,” said one of the sellers at a mobile phone shop in Kidobani.
Giorgi Chlaidze, Head of the Marketing and Sales Department of Elit Electronics said that the bestselling brand of 2011 is still Nokia. After Nokia comes Samsung, followed by Sony Ericsson, Blackberry, HTC and Philips.
“Compared to 2010 the realization of Nokia has increased by 10%,” Chlaidze said. “Low price models such as the 1280 and 1616 are the best selling ones out of Nokia’s models. Demand is high for C series mobile phones – the C3, C-01, and C7. Out of Samsung brand mobile phones the most popular ones are dual sim card mobile phones priced between 155-539 GEL. There has been increasing sales of Samsung dual sim card mobile phones by approximately 15% compared to last year,” explained Chlaidze.
In trading centre Megaline there is only one mobile phone shop. Dato Kheladze, the manager of this shop, confirmed the same – that Nokia is the bestselling brand. “To tell the truth, mobile phones aren’t generally sold as well anymore as before the crisis. Although even so, out of the brands which we sell, Nokia is definitely the leading brand. Its model Nokia 1280, which costs only 50 GEL, is a bestseller. This model is cheap and works quiet well. Mainly people aged 50 plus are customers of this mobile phone model,” Kheladze declared.
Mobile phones aren’t considered a luxury any longer. They are now regarded a necessity. Maybe that’s why they have so many consumers. Gomestic.com makes a statistic of the top ten best selling mobile phones in the world. This statistic was released on January 25, 2011, and in that Nokia doesn’t compromise its position as leader.
It may be hard to believe, but first place goes to the Nokia 1100. It sold about 250 million units, and it is the phone which is the “first” phone of many people today.
It was mostly sold in developing countries. This mobile phone is also the world’s best selling consumer electronics device.
In second place is the Nokia 3210 with 160 million units sold. It is popular among the young generation. In third place – Motorola – 130 million. Another highly popular cell phone is a Nokia again – the 3310, with 126 million units sold. The fifth bestselling mobile phone in the world is the iPhone – with 30 million units sold. With 20 million units sold, the Nokia 2100 takes sixth place. In seventh place for the world’s best cell phone is the iPhone 3G – with 15 million. In eighth place – the LG Chocolate – 15 million. In ninth place – the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic – 13 million. And lastly – the BlackBerry Pearl, with 10 million units sold.
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