Commart buoyant despite uncertainty

Bangkok Post

03-07-2025

A surge of gaming devices, the unveiling of devices powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and aggressive promotions are expected to encourage purchases at IT and computer fair Commart.
However, economic and political uncertainty could dampen market sentiment, according to an event organiser and IT vendors.
Pornchai Jantarasupasang, media and event director at ARIP, organiser of Commart Unlimited, said this time of year is challenging for IT organisers because of the rainy season and an uncertain outlook.
However, various promotional campaigns should stimulate consumer buying impulses if they perceive value for money, he said.
The IT fair runs until July 6 at Bitec Bang Na.
Products launched earlier this year offer mid-year promotional pricing as part of vendors' strategy to clear inventory and build momentum ahead of the release of new items at year-end.
Now tech consumers can buy AI-powered PCs priced 25,000 baht, down from 30,000-40,000 baht earlier, he added.
The most popular products are notebook PCs and gaming devices with fair visitors' average spending standing at 38,000 baht.
Organisers of Commart predict sales of 3 billion baht, with 100,000 visitors per day.
Takon Niyomthai, investor relations manager at leading IT retail chain operator Com7, said this July will be a key test for the information and communications technology industry whether political and economic uncertainty will make consumers delay spending.
"Normally, retail sales dip one week before and after the Commart fair, as shoppers wait to see promotional campaigns. But this time, the sales trend remains stable," said Mr Takon.
He added that the availability of new technologies, particularly gaming laptops equipped with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 series graphic cards, has drawn interest from the gaming community, while prices of existing models have also been cut.
"At Commart, 70% of sales are from gaming laptops, with the remainder from thin-and-light notebooks," he said.
The upcoming end of support for the Windows 10 operating system is expected to spur a new wave of computer device replacements -- not just among corporate clients, but also consumers who purchased personal devices during the pandemic.
"Consumers typically replace their devices every 3-5 years," he noted.
To make purchasing more accessible, Com7 offers instalment plans for non-credit card users to drive sales.
He expects AI-enabled PCs in the price range of 26,000-30,000 baht will perform well.
Mr Takon said Thailand's computer market has reached maturity, with much of the demand now driven by the replacement cycle.
"Rather than contracting, the market is maintaining its scale," he said.
Nitipat Praweenwongwuthi, marketing director of Acer Thailand, said at the fair Acer will demonstrate its "Global Thai First" initiative, featuring an exclusive collaboration with Butterbear -- one of the country's most beloved mascots.
The campaign introduces the Acer x Butterbear Aspire Lite 15 Limited Edition notebook, following the brand's successful global collaboration on the Acer Hello Kitty Limited Edition earlier.
Priced at 19,900 baht, the special edition device comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, a 15.6-inch display, Windows 11 and a Microsoft Office package. Online pre-orders are available via Acer stores from July 3-8.
"Despite ongoing economic uncertainty and softened consumer sentiment, computers have become essential tools -- especially for students navigating the new normal of online learning," Mr Nitipat noted.
"In some schools, online learning is reinstated whenever classroom outbreaks resurface, making access to reliable devices more critical than ever."
SWITCH 2
Kasame Srilertchaipanij, vice-president for marketing at IT City, revealed at Commart that the company is expanding its range of offerings for gaming enthusiasts -- introducing a broader selection of notebooks and do-it-yourself desktops featuring the latest GeForce RTX 5050 and 5060 graphics cards.
"We've also partnered with Synnex to provide 18-month insurance coverage for the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming device," said Mr Kasame.
He expects over 100,000 current Switch 1 device users to upgrade to the new model.
In addition, IT City is broadening its instalment plan partnerships, particularly for non-bank users.
"We've seen double-digit year-on-year growth in instalment payments, reflecting strong demand for mid-to-low priced smartphones under 15,000 baht and notebooks below 20,000 baht," he said.