Micromax launched a new line of feature phones — Joy — alongside a new packaging style that uses pouches instead of boxes in February 2015, ostensibly to reduce cost and maintain value for money. The Joy series has been launched with two new handsets, the X1800 and X1850, priced at Rs. 699 and Rs. 799 respectively. “We want to make these phones available in every possible selling point — be it small counters or shops, and general stores. So, we are trying to give a look and feel to the packaging which will relate to these counters. Also the product price is revolutionary and so saving on packaging cost is important. Pouch packaging was an experiment and we succeeded in it,” says Kishor Kumar of Micromax.
Micromax Informatics is one of the leading consumer electronics company in India and the 10th largest mobile phone player in the world. Over the past decade, Micromax has pioneered the democratization of technology in India by offering affordable innovations through their product offerings and removing barriers for large-scale adoption of advanced technologies. Micromax is currently the second-largest smartphone company in India.
According to Kumar, the cost of pouch packaging is one-tenth of box packaging. While box packaging provides better safety and protection to the material inside, pouch packaging has its own limitations. “Technologically both are completely different processes. In a pouch you need to focus on the protection of the phone inside as there is almost zero protection from outside,” adds Kumar. Micromax’s new pouch is designed to provide optimum protection to the product inside. “Through pouch packaging we are targeting the lower income group customers because packaging high-end phones in pouches will be risky,” he says.
Vineet Taneja, CEO, Micromax Informatics, says, “We introduce products which offer great value to the consumers. With the launch of Joy series, we have taken a lead yet again by offering a unique combination of innovative packaging and great value through our offerings.”
