Canon faces trying times; braces for competition

CEBU, Philippines - What is it like to be in the digital imaging business during these times? “Hard,” says Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc. yet it remains hopeful it will keep its spot in the market after coming up with an improved retail merchandising scheme.

The advent of smartphones is said to have shifted the imaging market to a different direction, according to Ryan G. Esguerra, operations head for Canon Marketing in the Visayas, who admitted the current times are tough for their company.

“We would like to be honest, it’s trying times for us, given the changing market that is going for smartphones,” said Esguerra.

“To answer the call of times, we have come up with an enhanced retail merchandising scheme that now includes, among others, doing an immediate replacement for some of our fastest-moving products within 30 days,” he said.

The 17-year-old imaging company with an extensive product line of input and output devices has also ascertained to maximize its staff productivity in response to the changing times experienced in the industry.

“We want to make sure that we are always visible to the people, so we do a lot of marketing stuff. But more than just depending on our quality product line, it’s important to have a good after sales service as well,” Esguerra said.

Even in the province, the market is seen to swing from digital cameras to digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and Canon said it wanted to keep up with this kind of pace at which the industry is operating.

Cebu is Canon’s second strongest market next to Metro Manila, said Esguerra, who was stunned with the large number of Cebuanos taking photography as a profession or passion.

Banking on Cebu’s potential as a market, Canon recently launched its newest additions to the Photoshot and Ixus series here, hoping to reaffirm the brand’s strong hold among its Cebuanos with the introduction of products with new features.

The launching was held last July 2 at the Alpha City Suites in Mandaue City, participated in by Canon’s partners, dealers and promoters.

The event highlighted the formal training and introduction of threeg new Canon Powershot digital cameras series PS 1400, PS 2500, PS 2600 and PS 3500; two new Canon Digital IXUS models IXUS 140 and IXUS 255; and two new Canon EOS DSLR cameras EOS 100D and EOS 700D as well as two Canon Vixia camcorders R40 and R400.

Participants were treated to a four-hour workshop highlighting the new technologies and exciting features of the new product line.

“These new products will surely delight consumers as they come with truly friendly prices now available at any authorized Canon dealers and concept stores all over the country,” Canon said in its statement to the press.

Esguerra, meanwhile, confirmed that their newest offers are already available in Canon outlets here in Cebu.  (FREEMAN)