Avenir Telecom ditches Barcelona for Bucharest to launch Energizer smartphones

Avenir Telecom has launched in Bucharest, Romania, the Energizer smartphone range, a few days ahead of the 2018 Mobile World Congress (Barcelona 26 February 2018 – 1 March 2018). According to company representatives, the company’s move is designed to build on its two decades of experience in Romania, a strategic market with high potential. 

“We didn’t do the launch in Romania by chance. For us, this is not a new market. Avenir Telecom has been present for 21 years and has been involved in distribution, has the right infrastructure and clients prepared to adopt the products rapidly,”  Costin Soare, Operational Director Avenir Telecom told BR.

“Romania is an interesting market for the group, because the volumes sold here are interesting, and sales of the high value range of smartphones have increased. The average sale price has increased significantly. Romanian clients are focusing on quality products and pay more for quality. Consequently, smartphones become more precious and they want to protect them more.They invest more in quality, accessories and protection. Increasingly more accessories and protection is a priority over fashion. If three or four years ago people would sell more colourful cases, now the are more simple and functional. Overall, Romania is a priority market for international brands because it is a dynamic one,” Soare explained.

Tapping into a market of early adopters

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Romania is a country the phone distributor knows very well and this, together with Romanians’ appetite for new technologies, make the market an important one for the group. “We’ve been in Romania for 21 years now and we have a good experience through Avenir Romania, meaning that in terms of consumer profile we have good information. That is why we can start to build on the work that the local team has already done here,” Christian Massoji, Executive Sales Director at Avenir Telecom in charge of Europe, Russia and Central Africa, said.

“I think that in business we need act strategically but also pragmatically. Romania is the market where we have the best market knowledge. And we expect to have a good return on investment,” Massoji added.

In terms of the consumer profile, Romanians are seen as early adopters. “We don’t differentiate in terms of age, gender or income. Today smartphone users are as young as 7 years old. So we do not target consumers according to a specific demographic, but we believe the middle and high range will be most popular among clients, while not neglecting our entry range,” Soare said.

When it comes to their smartphones, which come in three ranges, the Energizer Power Max, high end devices with high battery life of up to 5,000 mAh, Energizer Hardcase, a range of devices designed to withstand shocks and are dust and water proof, and Energy, the entry level range of slim smartphones.

The Energizer accessories are compatible with multiple devices across brands and will be sold alongside the smartphone range in the 50 stores that make up the brand’s national network.