Crowds throng CAN fair lured by discount offers

KATHMANDU, FEB 08 -

The 19th edition of Midas CAN Infotech on Thursday saw a huge turnout with visitors thronging the mega carnival to remain updated about the latest technological products and services. Organised by the Computer Association of Nepal ( CAN ), almost all the stalls at the expo witnessed visitors pushing themselves to the front to get close to the exhibits.

The five-day event kicked off at Exhibition Hall in Bhrikuti Mandap on Wednesday. According to CAN , the expo features a total of 220 stalls, with 40 branded stalls located inside the exhibition hall and the rest on the grounds of the exhibition centre.

Apart from regular products, the expo this time has come up with some innovative and latest devices in the market such as mini projector, palm size projector, hybrid inverter, shock-proof hard drive, passport drive, security device, camera and a wide range of tablets and cell phones from numerous companies. And like during previous editions of CAN Infotech, this year too there are laptop computers, notebooks and cell phones. Several companies have launched discount offers and freebies on purchase of computing devices.

Likewise, stalls of internet service providers too have become successful in garnering visitor attraction. “The internet has become a necessity among people residing in city areas, and the trend is visible at our stall here,” said Pooja Shakya, an official at the stall of Internet Service Provider. Almost 100 people are registering with us every day, she added.

Subash Shrestha, head of corporate sales at Nepa Hima Trade Links, the sole authorised distributor of Sony in Nepal, said that the company was witnessing a gradual growth in visitor flow at the expo. “We are satisfied with the inflow of visitors so far,” Shrestha said. The company has started a discount offer on digital cameras and is offering free gifts with almost all the items on sale.

Moreover, the company has also featured the latest product range from Sony including its 3D televisions. “Platforms like CAN means a lot for us. More than anything else, we are here to promote our brand and make people aware about the latest Sony technology. We have become successful in our motive,” Shrestha said.

Likewise, power products have become successful in garnering visitor attraction. Almost all the stalls dealing with power products have reported a large footfall. “Since load-shedding has become a huge problem in Nepal, people are interested in having power backup,” said Rajan Pandey, marketing officer at G&I which deals in power products from Hi-Power. Pandey added that the company has been receiving massive inquiries from visitors and bookings for around 20 units daily.

Similarly, computer peripherals such as pen drives, USB devices, headphones, card readers, microSD cards, laptop bags, woofers and laptop coolers, among others, too have become successful in captivating visitors. Aasha Shrestha, a bachelor level student visiting the expo, said that she had been eagerly waiting for CAN Infotech to open, and had put on hold her plans of buying a pair of headphones until the fair as dealers give discounts. “There is no need to bargain, and there are many more choices. Therefore, I shop at the expo every year,” she said.

The expo is excepted to draw more than 450,000 visitors. The CAN festival has been held annually since 1992.

 

Source: The Kathmandu Post