Nghe An computer market 'attracts' customers to buy online during Covid season

Currently, studying, working and doing business have all moved online, so the need for computer use has increased. Photo: Thanh Phuc

The family has 2 children studying in Primary and Secondary school. After the Department of Education and Training decided to temporarily suspend school, teachers taught online, gave homework, and tested knowledge online. Therefore, Ms. Hoang Mien (Vinh Tan apartment building, Vinh city) had to buy an additional computer to serve the learning of her 2 children. Ms. Mien said: "We have 2 computers at home, but currently my husband and I still have to handle work at the office and company regularly, so we cannot let our children borrow the computer to study. Meanwhile, studying via phone is quite inconvenient (small screen, unclear sound and difficult to use when looking up, doing homework, battery runs out quickly), so we have to buy another computer."

After considering convenience, necessity and financial balance, instead of choosing to buy a desktop computer, Ms. Mien and her husband decided to buy a laptop with a low-end segment, moderate configuration only serving their child's studies for 8 million VND.

Recently, the demand for online computer shopping has increased, especially after the Prime Minister issued Directive 16 on social isolation. In the face of the complicated and prolonged epidemic situation, the Department of Education and Training is having a policy of online teaching.

The number of computers sold online by stores and electronics supermarkets has increased by 60-80% compared to before, especially in the last 2 months. In the photo: Electronics supermarket staff deliver computers to customers' homes. Photo: Thanh Phuc

A female employee of a computer company on Le Loi Street (Vinh City) said: “Revenue from computer sales has increased sharply since the beginning of March (up about 60% -80% compared to before). Most customers choose low-end laptops to serve their children's online learning. Currently, many accessories for online learning such as: Web-cam, headphones... in shops are "out of stock".

Many families, due to limited economic conditions, instead of choosing to buy a new computer, have considered the option of buying a used computer at a reasonable price. Mr. Trinh Xuan Hop, Ben Thuy ward (Vinh city) said: "At first, I planned to rent a computer for my child to study during the epidemic because my family did not have the economic conditions. However, with the price of 20,000 - 50,000 VND/computer/day (depending on the configuration), it was too expensive, so I decided to buy a used computer for my child. For about 2.5 - 3 million VND, I was able to choose a suitable old laptop."

Therefore, at this time, used computer stores in Vinh city are also quite busy, the number of customers ordering in advance is quite large, sometimes not enough to meet the demand. Mr. Hoang Dinh Kieu, owner of a store specializing in used computers in Vinh city said: "Used computers are chosen by many parents because of their reasonable prices. Normally, only 1-2 computers are sold each day, but now the number has increased 3-4 times. Not only customers in Vinh but also in the districts have ordered quite a lot. Therefore, the store's staff have to run "numbers" to deliver and install."

In addition to the free home delivery policy, using software for warranty and support for customers without having to go to the store, offering vouchers to encourage customers to buy...

According to electronics supermarkets, if the epidemic continues, the purchasing power of this item will increase further in the coming time; however, the supply of additional goods is quite scarce.

“What customers need to pay attention to when buying a used computer is to choose a reputable place to sell, have a serious warranty, carefully check the screen for "dead" spots, and whether the applications are slow when running... When choosing to rent a computer, they need to pay attention to old components, which are prone to damage, malfunction, and must be compensated after an incident occurs. Therefore, choosing to buy a new, buy a used computer, or rent a computer for work or study also requires careful consideration."

Mr. Tran Canh Phu, a technician of a computer company recommends.