Pandemic gave a big push to audio device sales: Ubon & VingaJoy

What are the company's offerings?

Considering the everyday demands of tech savvy consumers, there was a need to come up with something different, innovative with state-of-the-art features. Striving for excellence and providing the most innovative products using the latest technology, Thought, the VingaJoy being a subsidiary brand from the same company yet it caters to a different client - where UBON is perceived to be in premium quality segment and VingaJoy caters to the masses.

Who thought of these ideas and had the courage to make it into a reality, and not just that, but also turned their idea into a wearable company?

UBON and VingaJoy brands were developed by its founder cum chairman Om Prakash Arora. However, the legacy has been continued by the next generation- his two sons Mandeep Arora and Lalit Arora. Having taken all the initiatives post the R&D they have been introducing newer products with the latest technology viz. light up headphones, bluetooth speaker, solar power bank to name a few.

What was the idea behind UBON and VingaJoy?

UBON and VingaJoy are two different brands from the same company. Whereas UBON is positioned as a premium brand in order to compete the niche market and VingaJoy, which caters to the masses.

How are both the wearable brands different from the competitors?

UBON and VingaJoy products are almost at par as compared to other brands available in the market as far as quality is concerned. However, what is different is the elegant looks and pricing. Moreover, they complement the vision of our Prime Minister's and support the make in India initiative.

Tell us about the contribution made by both of you?

Well, there is only one company with two brands as stated above. When it comes to our role, we charted business strategy, new product development with proper R&D, checking out the market scenario and innovation besides giving importance to the end consumers. Considering all these parameters meticulously, we both work on branding and then market the product with promotional offers from time to time.

State some challenges which came in your way while forming these companies?

Challenges which we faced are: Procurement of raw material, product designing and quality control, skilled manpower, costing as compared to foreign / imported products and brand positioning among competitors.

What are the mission and vision of the company?

UBON started its journey as an electronics brand in 1999 and was officially registered in 2004. Eventually, we realized the complete absence of any brand in the mass market mobile phone accessories segment, which has been growing as a niche segment in India. The goal of UBON as a brand is to address the needs of 'connected consumers' and 'people on the go.' We manufacture impeccable quality gadgets at affordable prices by focusing on both, the right assembly of equipment, as well as inbuilt quality. UBON recognises the variations in consumer sentiments, and provides a wide range of over 700 stock keeping units (SKUs). The mission and vision of UBON is to become the numero uno brand in the Indian market by being unique and through continuous improvement, driven by creativity, professionalism and innovation, and aided by the users, engineers and technocrats. UBON continuously strives to take the evolution of mobile accessories to higher levels.

Turning point of UBON and VingaJoy?

The main turning point as far as we are concerned has been the pandemic Covid-19. However, it threw us a challenge of sustenance. Due to the nationwide lockdown, businesses were impacted in terms of sales, but the pandemic has proven to be beneficial for the Indian mobile phone accessories industry. The Indian market has witnessed many international companies reaching out for product parts. Thus, the industry has an opportunity to bloom and scale great heights in the long run.

Tell us about your marketing and advertising strategy for UBON and VingaJoy?

m Five to six big brand ambassadors which is quite good

m Introducing new products quickly

m Pushing online sale will also affect offline sale

m Using micro influencers on Insta, FB, and LinkedIn

m Good packing and creative media marketing is already being done.

How has research and development played its part in crafting UBON's success story?

m R&D is having equipment to test

m The bend test for charger wire is being done for 50,000 times

m Dedicated and exclusive quality control team

What are the key industry trends and opportunities that excite you?

As there is a saying that every problem comes with a solution along with some innovation. Covid-19 was the best example of this where during lockdown people were restricted to their homes and IT and mobiles accessories business were booming. This has turned everything online quickly be it education, banking, grocery selling, fruit selling. Especially in the case of online education, parents were buying headphones, speakers for their kids. In my opinion this has become the new normal and will give us enormous opportunities.

What is the present electronic and gadget market scenario in India?

The present situation in the Indian consumer electronics market can be attributed to several factors such as the increase in demand from households, changing lifestyles of individuals, easier access to credit, and rising disposable incomes. The government's step of intentional reduction in the import bill, coupled with government and corporate spending is anticipated to complement the positive demand in this market. Consumer electronics manufacturers are set to raise investments in production, distribution, and R&D in the next few years. With the booming presence of organized retail, the market has experienced the emergence of modern, durable retail chains, which include the emergence of e-retailers. Thus, the industry is on a growth trajectory and is expected to provide multiple opportunities to the players.

What is the growth path for you?

The growth can be assessed by the customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customer loyalty and employee motivation, we feel strongly, are two important benchmarks that steer and pave the path for success of any company.

What is your vision for UBON and VingaJoy?

Our vision is to become the Numero Uno brand in the Indian market by being unique, sharing knowledge through continuous improvement driven by the creativity of our people in the evolution of mobile accessories.

Please brief about your business model (strength offline & online both).

At present, we are following both the business models by selling products online as well as offline. We strongly believe the success of any business model primarily depends on the right mix of the consumer's requirements and offering the product at the most competitive price.

What will be the company's strategies for the forthcoming year?

Since we have been able to handle Covid-19 followed by delta and omicron viruses with utmost care and precautions, it created an opportunity to reduce our dependence on imports and start manufacturing on our own. And most importantly, with government initiatives and given relaxations we were encouraged to make in India products. So, that seems to be the road map for our future.

What is the current market and business turnover of UBON and VingaJoy?

Audio devices are no longer just a desire, but have become a necessity today. It has almost become a lifeline for our daily working. Be it a zoom call or Google meet, we require hi-fi gadgets to attend the same. Increased consumption of OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime has also led to an increase in sales of soundbars, headsets and ear accessories. With movie halls locked, OTT platforms have become the major source of entertaining people during the nationwide lockdown. The pandemic has given a great push to audio devices with an increase of 20-30 per cent in the revenue over the last 1.5 year.

How are UBON and VingaJoy products different from any other product available in the market?

At UBON, we manufacture products at affordable prices without compromising on the quality by focusing on the right assembly of equipment with durable quality. Keeping in mind the needs of consumers, we offer a wide range of more than 700 + SKU's. Through this, we look forward for the first mover advantage in introducing large volumes of products with cutting edge technology. With R&D and right use of technology, our product line includes bluetooth speakers, headphones, chargers, cables, car accessories, care products, surge protectors and more than 125 accessories. We aim to create distinctive and well-built products that match Indian and international standards, at affordable prices.