Please discuss the progress XTOUCH brand has made over the years since its launch in 2012 and how is it today perceived by the channel in the market?
Since the launch of XTOUCH in the year 2012, we have focused our efforts on providing the best and the most competitive products to the consumers in the region. We are headquartered in Dubai and our global supply chain management facility is based out of Shenzhen, China.
Our past few years, we have grown and expanded our footprint to several countries. Today, we have branch offices in countries such as KSA, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, and Italy. We have also grown our product portfolio, and currently our products include Smart phones, tablets, smart watches and related innovative products. With presence in over 30 countries, XTOUCH has grown to be one of the leading consumer electronics providers in the EMEA region. We are encouraged by the response from the channel across the region and its been a great journey till now and we are confident to grow further.
Which markets in the Middle East and Africa region are most promising when it comes to smartphones?
UAE, KSA and Egypt are the key markets for us in this region. With large educated population base, and low penetration rates for smartphones Egypt is the most promising market with huge business potential. The customers in today’s age are passionate latest technology and are willing to buy a good product that is available at low prices. This shift in consumer behaviour has helped us grow faster as XTOUCH represent value for money devices with latest technologies. Our portfolio includes 4G LTE smartphones which are high in quality but low in prices.
With vendors and distributors increasing their focus on the retail channel, how is the power retail sector progressing in the Middle East?
The retail sector in Middle East are of two types Power Retail and Independent retail. Power retail sector has always been a strong force in Middle East retailers’ landscape with a significant presence in all the major cities in the Middle East but especially in Dubai. Important among them are Carrefour, Sharaf DG, Emax, Lulu etc. The growth of power retail has been phenomenal and continues to increase its footprints across the region.
The power retail provides dual benefits to the vendors; it drives volume as well as improves brand visibility.
Recently it is observed that XTOUCH has tried to go beyond smartphones, so what product lines that you are looking to expand in the region?
Xtouch has always been regarded as innovative company. We have launched a series of innovative products ranging from self-balancing scooters, smart watches, kids tablets to power bank phones. Our scooter became huge popular not only in UAE but also in European countries. Our power bank phones became the household name. We have the most competitive latest 4G phones. Currently we are focusing on design and user interface. More innovative products will be unveiled in a time to come.
Are you planning to participate in GITEX Technology Week and GITEX Shoppers later in the year?
Yes, we have been there consistently from last three years and we intend to be there this year also.
Are you planning to launch any new products in near future?
Yes, many new products are on the card, we will unveil when ready. Currently we provide finger prints technology in our latest devices and we are building new features and software to provide better user experience to our customer. We also have our own store, applications and cloud storage.
What is your message for the channel partners?
The message is very clear. We are a brand out of Dubai and we have been consistent in the region and we are here to stay. We will continue to support our channel partners with the best value for money products. We wish to have long term business relationship with them.
