Showing no signs of being affected by the current economic recession or the H1N1 scare, the 19th PC Show 2009 held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre packed in a record crowd of 1.13 million visitors over the four-day event. Organizers and exhibitors were pleased with the turnout as this meant a higher sales return, registering S$52.1 million compared to S$51.7 million last year.
In an email interview, Lines Exposition & Management Services’ Project Manager, Gillian Loh, affirms that the economic downturn did not have a major effect on the PC Show. “The PC Show 2009 offers the latest IT products as well as the hottest deals. Consumers look forward to the annual PC Show as a great platform to source out the best bargains and enticing promotions for the latest IT gadgets. Also, many companies use the PC Show to showcase their latest products and that is a key reason for its year-on-year success.”
Sharing the same sentiments was a sales-coordinator at the Sony booth during the Show. He agrees that the PC Show is an ideal event to display products for branding and sales. It also acts as a tool for exposure, spiraling benefits for retail.
Contrary to the belief that the PC Show is just another “pasar malam” (flea market), the unique attraction of this year’s exhibition has set a platform for both local and international brands to launch and showcase products such as Ovation — the slimmest external hard disk; iNo Mobile — the first locally manufactured user-friendly mobile phone with thoughtful features designed especially for the young and old; the new Seagate® FreeAgent® Theater™ HD media player and the Acer Aspire Timeline series notebooks, just to name a few.
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| PHOTOS: Lu Guo Rong |
With Singapore having one of the highest IT literacy rates in the world and 80 per cent of households having at least one computer, it is of little wonder that exhibitors are cashing in on consumer dollars, with satisfied customers lugging home the latest gizmos. Stretching the dollar just a little further, consumers were able to participate in the “Lucky Purchaser’s Draw” standing a chance to win a grand prize of S$10,000 including an LCD television, camcorder and MP3 player for every S$50 spent.
Earnest Kho who spent more than S$2,000 on a Compaq computer, a HP printer and other accessories, was seen beaming with satisfaction as his purchases resulted in close to 20 per cent cost savings.
With an obvious increase of visitors every year, the PC Show is set to go on next year at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre from 10 to 13 June 2010.
