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LUSAKA, May 27 - Zambia is the best market for Philips products in the whole of Africa, Philips Electronics account manager for Africa Mahesh Jiandani has said.
And Philips Electronics has asked the sole franchise dealer for Philips products, Radian Stores, to take up the issue of counterfeit products with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
Jiandani said in an interview on Monday that the electronics company had been recording the best sales for its audio and visual products in Zambia compared with any other African country.
He said at the moment Philips commands the highest market share for electronic appliances of over 50 per cent in Zambia.
Jiandani said Philips had since embarked on an ambitious programme for Africa of expanding its markets to cover all countries on the continent.
And Jiandani cautioned consumers not to buy counterfeit products, as they would be paying more for poor quality products.
"These counterfeit products are of low quality and do not come with any international warranty," Jiandani said. "We have requested Radian Stores to take up the issue of counterfeit products with the Zambia Revenue Authority."
He advised people to buy original products, which were only available in authorised distribution points.
And Radian Stores director Amrat Patel, said fake products affected customers more than the distributor.
He said although the company had not experienced counterfeits in television sets, he said the products most imitated were pressing irons, followed by small audio appliances.
Patel advised people to report people selling counterfeit products to the Zambia Bureau of Standards so that the bureau could take action.
"The problem is that when people see these fake products, they just keep quiet," Patel said. "Customers should bear in mind that when they buy products that have no backup, they are being disadvantaged."
Patel said Philips last Sunday held a conference for dealers from all over Zambia where the main theme was improving customer service.
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