Chinese computer maker Lenovo plans to boost its market share at
home by targeting the country's vast rural area.
The company yesterday unveiled a program to sell cheap
computers, which cost 1,499 yuan upward, in Chinese villages.
"We plan to bring Lenovo products to 100,000 villages, and make
the products affordable for over 3 million families in the rural
areas," said Chen Shaopeng, senior vice-president of Lenovo Group
and president of Lenovo Greater China.
Lenovo has been tapping the rural market since 2004, when it
entered the county and town market by selling computers priced at
2,999 yuan. The expansion in the rural market has doubled the
company's growth, said Chen.
The company's campaign echoes the government's call for
development of rural China.
China aims to connect its 20,000 towns with Internet by 2010,
said Chen Wei, director-general of the department of
informatization promotion under the Ministry of Information
Industry.
Lenovo plans to sell its products by establishing over 5,000
sales outlets, which could be located in supermarkets. It is also
planning to set up over 2,000 information service centers in over
100,000 villages.
(China Daily August 2, 2007)
