“Hi, sorry to bother you. What phone do you use?” (Weird stare) “Ummm Infinix hot note.” “I use Infinix hot 2 and (competing brand name).” “I use Infinix Zero and (CBD).” I embarked on a verbal research of sorts and the result, ladies and gentlemen, points to the fact that one in every three people you come across uses an Infinix device! Further research proved that after the huge success of Infinix HOT, one of the fastest selling devices which hit the Nigerian markets launched last year from a company that is 2 years shy of hitting the 5year mark. Also dubbed the No.1 online smartphone brand in Africa, the company is said to have increased its online presence across Africa and is looking to replicate that model in its Nigerian market and ultimately, globally.
Controlling the market with 2 powerful series
Unlike market place competition, the Infinix product ranges available on the shelves and in stores are not as numerous. However, it’s current range of ZERO and HOT models have proven to be good enough entry level and mid range smartphones respectively. Under the HOT series, Infinix NOTE product are more likely mid-range devices focused on entrepreneurs who need smartphones as working tool. While the ZERO series offer higher ends devices targeting the developing Nigerian middle class.
Several reports have suggested that over 150,000 units of the Infinix Note 2 (most recent release) have been sold. While 30% of these sales are achieved through traditional channel including operator’s retail stores, 70% sales are driven by E-commerce bypassing the need for costly physical distribution networks. Worthy of note is the fact that the Infinix HOT series smartphones are designed for youths with a restricted budget. Emphasis on restricted budget. The Infinix HOT 2 had two versions released; 1GB RAM at ₦ 17,500 and 2GB RAM at ₦ 19,500.
With respect to software, the HOT 2 runs on the stock Android Lollipop 5.1 operating system and will receive an automatic and free update of Android Marshmallow 6.0 this month.
The Infinix approach to e-commerce
Practically every Infinix device comes with pre-installed e-commerce applications such as Jumia.com and Konga.com. What many do not realize is, beyond mobile applications being a very popular way to experiment with online shopping, it consumes 3 to 5 times less data than direct browsing. Moreover, access to content is easier and it appears that users spend an average 9 minutes against 6 minutes from mobile version or PC.
Bruno Li Infinix Mobility country manager has said: “Youths are always connected looking for the latest trends. Using the right channel is the key of success, the demand is online.” Online, Infinix smartphones are often sold out few hours after the official product launch. This scarcity brings on a lot of excitement on social media.
An active and efficient use of social and online media
Infinix Mobility also boast of a good grasp of social media. Recently, Benjamin Jiang the CEO of Infinix Mobility opens up his page to the public https://www.facebook.com/Benjamin-Jiang . In only few weeks, his profile gathered over 3000 fans. He said, “We talk to our fans as if they are our close friends. Infinix fans are much more than users, they are our main concern. The most important thing for us is to understand what consumers need, to provide smartphones that fit their needs”.
The success of one of the most sought after smartphone brands in Africa can be attributed to online end-users feedbacks. Bruno Li country Manager says: “My answer is customer’s participation. Infinix is not only selling devices, but the desire for its fans to build and be part of High-tech improvement”.