Latest news with #Commart
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Acer, Butterbear team up for laptop
Acer Computer has teamed up with Butterbear, a famous Thai mascot, to launch a limited edition laptop appealing to a younger local audience. The company said it wants to maintain its leadership in the Thai consumer notebook market. Acer has held pole position in the Thai consumer notebook market since 2014, said Jeff Lee, managing director of Acer Computer Co. The tie-up with Butterbear is the first for Acer in the local market. Previous partnerships were globally initiated, including with the Hello Kitty, Marvel and Ferrari brands. Mr Lee, who initiated the Hello Kitty partnership, told the Bangkok Post that he wants to differentiate Acer from other brands and target women. "The collaboration with Butterbear makes the Acer brand younger and more localised," he said. 'This project started with a small but meaningful moment. I met 'Nong Noey' at a mall event and was truly touched by the pure charm and emotional connection that cuteness can create.' Later, during a conversation with one of his team members, Mr Lee learned that Nong Noey was about to start school. "That's when I wondered if we could create a laptop designed just for her," he said. "We believe technology shouldn't just be a tool for work -- it should also spark joy and inspiration every single day." Nitipat Praweenwongwuthi, marketing director at Acer Computer Co Ltd, said the "Acer x Butterbear Aspire Lite 15 Limited Edition" laptop was designed to deliver both performance and emotional value. Inspired by Nong Noey, a beloved figure among today's youth, the laptop represents a true companion: genuine, gentle, playful and naturally charming. Pre-orders for the laptop at the recent Commart IT fair already reached the quota of 100 units, and the product has reopened for more pre-orders. This one-year collaboration covers PCs and accessories, said Mr Nitipat. Youngsters, in particular Gen Z and Alpha, need personalised products that reflect their style and this is a growing trend in IT, Mr Nitipat added. He acknowledged consumer sentiment on new IT devices might be impacted by the challenging economy and the US reciprocal tariff. "If there is a negative impact, we will see it in the third quarter," said Mr Nitipat. However, he believes that the computer market is quite mature with demand for hybrid learning and replacement of existing devices by users of the Windows 10 operating system. Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 in October. "In the first five months, the local PC market contracted by 4%. The total computer market this year is expected to shrink 5% in the worst-case scenario, growing 5% in the best case," said Mr Nitipat. The total PC market is 2.1 million units, he said.
Bangkok Post
03-07-2025
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Commart buoyant despite uncertainty
A surge of gaming devices, the unveiling of devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and aggressive promotions are expected to encourage purchases at IT and computer fair Commart. However, economic and political uncertainty could dampen market sentiment, according to an event organiser and IT vendors. Pornchai Jantarasupasang, media and event director at ARIP, organiser of Commart Unlimited, said this time of year is challenging for IT organisers because of the rainy season and an uncertain outlook. However, various promotional campaigns should stimulate consumer buying impulses if they perceive value for money, he said. The IT fair runs until July 6 at Bitec Bang Na. Products launched earlier this year offer mid-year promotional pricing as part of vendors' strategy to clear inventory and build momentum ahead of the release of new items at year-end. Now tech consumers can buy AI-powered PCs priced 25,000 baht, down from 30,000-40,000 baht earlier, he added. The most popular products are notebook PCs and gaming devices with fair visitors' average spending standing at 38,000 baht. Organisers of Commart predict sales of 3 billion baht, with 100,000 visitors per day. Takon Niyomthai, investor relations manager at leading IT retail chain operator Com7, said this July will be a key test for the information and communications technology industry whether political and economic uncertainty will make consumers delay spending. "Normally, retail sales dip one week before and after the Commart fair, as shoppers wait to see promotional campaigns. But this time, the sales trend remains stable," said Mr Takon. He added that the availability of new technologies, particularly gaming laptops equipped with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 series graphic cards, has drawn interest from the gaming community, while prices of existing models have also been cut. "At Commart, 70% of sales are from gaming laptops, with the remainder from thin-and-light notebooks," he said. The upcoming end of support for the Windows 10 operating system is expected to spur a new wave of computer device replacements -- not just among corporate clients, but also consumers who purchased personal devices during the pandemic. "Consumers typically replace their devices every 3-5 years," he noted. To make purchasing more accessible, Com7 offers instalment plans for non-credit card users to drive sales. He expects AI-enabled PCs in the price range of 26,000-30,000 baht will perform well. Mr Takon said Thailand's computer market has reached maturity, with much of the demand now driven by the replacement cycle. "Rather than contracting, the market is maintaining its scale," he said. Nitipat Praweenwongwuthi, marketing director of Acer Thailand, said at the fair Acer will demonstrate its "Global Thai First" initiative, featuring an exclusive collaboration with Butterbear -- one of the country's most beloved mascots. The campaign introduces the Acer x Butterbear Aspire Lite 15 Limited Edition notebook, following the brand's successful global collaboration on the Acer Hello Kitty Limited Edition earlier. Priced at 19,900 baht, the special edition device comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, a 15.6-inch display, Windows 11 and a Microsoft Office package. Online pre-orders are available via Acer stores from July 3-8. "Despite ongoing economic uncertainty and softened consumer sentiment, computers have become essential tools -- especially for students navigating the new normal of online learning," Mr Nitipat noted. "In some schools, online learning is reinstated whenever classroom outbreaks resurface, making access to reliable devices more critical than ever." SWITCH 2 Kasame Srilertchaipanij, vice-president for marketing at IT City, revealed at Commart that the company is expanding its range of offerings for gaming enthusiasts -- introducing a broader selection of notebooks and do-it-yourself desktops featuring the latest GeForce RTX 5050 and 5060 graphics cards. "We've also partnered with Synnex to provide 18-month insurance coverage for the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming device," said Mr Kasame. He expects over 100,000 current Switch 1 device users to upgrade to the new model. In addition, IT City is broadening its instalment plan partnerships, particularly for non-bank users. "We've seen double-digit year-on-year growth in instalment payments, reflecting strong demand for mid-to-low priced smartphones under 15,000 baht and notebooks below 20,000 baht," he said.
