Flashback to mid-2012 when TECNO started making Android devices smartphones. If you can recall, TECNO started with making those loud mouthed dual-SIM feature phones, so people (including me) were skeptical on how good their Android phones would be.
Improvements came with subsequent models and gradually TECNO took Nigeria by storm. We may ask, how did they achieve it? The answer is PRICE. Yes. Price was the determining factor. TECNO offered usable smartphones at very affordable prices compared to the likes of the then Nokia, Blackberry, and Samsung.
I can recall buying a TECNO N3, bundled with an 8GB memory card for just N13,500, It was a very good deal then. The phone was revolutionary and sold in droves. Cheap smartphones are what took the likes of TECNO to where they are now. The tides have gradually turned and we’re getting to see Chinese brands (including TECNO ) selling devices for higher prices ranging from N35,000 up to N50,000.
This really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Just like every other emerging business. You start small, sell products or offer services for free to grab market and mind share. Then gradually charge for services and increase price of products to make actual profits. We shouldn’t be shocked when we see the likes of TECNO selling a phone for N45,000. In the end every business has to make profit.
The important thing is that they don’t forget how they got to where they are, and don’t totally abandon those uber cheap range of (value for money) smartphones that gave them popularity.
So, suck it up and deal with it. I’m certain we’ll get to see more higher priced devices from Chinese manufacturers.
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