Dropping Value of Rupee vs USD and Delays in Import-Supplies Still Keep the Market Low

In an interaction with Imaging Solution magazine, Mr. Navaratan Baid, Director, Vijex Vyapaar Pvt Ltd, shares his views on the current market trends and challenges in the imaging aftermarket, and his outlook for the future.

Mr. Navaratan Baid comments, “The downturn which started 2 years back with Covid in the imaging industry still continues; just now colleges and schools have started opening, and maybe by September 2022, we can see some improvement in the market. The drop in the value of INR vs USD has pushed up the cost of all the imported products including toner powders and in turn, we have to increase the prices of our products. Customers do not understand the implications of the falling rupee on the prices. They are just unhappy with the increasing prices, so the overall sales and the margins continue to be low. Work From Home and Learn From Home increased the sale of A4 printers in the home segment, but it has a little positive effect on the business of compatible consumables and copier machines because most home users use OEM consumables as their print volumes are extremely limited.”

Vijex Vyapaar Pvt Ltd is a Premier Partner for HP A3 Laserjet Copiers since 2019. Now the company has a swanky experience zone for the HP copiers in Darya Ganj, New Delhi (which also includes the office of Vijex Vyapaar Pvt Ltd).

Talking about the market situation for the HP copiers, Mr. Navaratan Baid reveals, “When it comes to the sales of HP copiers, the situation is no better. With the dropping value of the rupee, copiers have become costly, and we are compelled to cut down our margins, so there is no improvement in profits. We have to wait and watch till the end of 2022 for the situation to improve.”  

Vijex Vyapaar Pvt Ltd has three decades of successful presence in the imaging market as a leading Importer and Distributor of compatible toners for copiers and printers catering to both consumer and industrial segments. The company has a wide supply network spread across India. They have customers all over India, with a major portion of their business coming from North India.

Regarding major developments in the market and the suggestions he wants to give to improve the industry operations,
Mr. Navaratan Baid briefs, “Today’s copiers and printers are not just hardware units but also have software part in them. Unfortunately, there is no formal and structured training system in the industry for the servicing professionals of photocopiers and printers. They learn most of the work through experience, trial, and error. What we need in the future is comprehensive training programs based on structured education for the servicing professionals. Next, customers should also be educated on how the low-cost cheap-quality consumables, besides giving poor quality prints, can harm the printer and copier machines and cost them more in the long run.”

Vijex Vyapaar Pvt Ltd imports toners, for printers and copiers, only from the reputed, quality-proven providers from Japan which is their main strength that ensures the confidentiality of their dealers and customers in the Indian market. The company does not compromise on quality. Mr. Navratan Baid is one of the initiators and leading members of the Daryaganj Vyapaar Sangh, a union that was started in 2021 to protect and promote the interests of the imaging product traders and partners in the Daryaganj area (in New Delhi). Regarding this, Mr. Navratan Baid comments, “We have not made much progress regarding the Daryaaganj Vyapaar Sangh, because the overall business situation in the market remains still dull and the morale of the partners is still low. Once the market improves, hopefully, by early 2023, we will review the situation and take a call on how to progress and engage in this regard. Currently, regarding our own business, we don’t have any new plans other than maintaining what we have been doing. Let us hope the best and be optimistic.”