India's first IT product catalogue - Buy the latest software, hardware and Y2K solutions through mail-order
(The Financial Express, New Delhi,April 4, 1999)

The PC ZONE India's first direct marketing catalogue for information technology, is a one stop shop for global brands in notebooks, computers, servers, printers, monitors, multifunction machines, scanners, printing accessories, power protectors and software. It is also an information mart for details on after-sales service, annual maintenance contracts and warranties on IT products.

The vendor partners of Multiple Zones India (MZI). The PC Zone's parent company, includes leading players in hardware, software and peripherals. These include Microsoft, Compaq, Apple Macintosh, Intel, TISL-IBM, HCL, Hewlett Packard, Zenith, Epson, Canon, Sony, Samsung, Packard Dell, Motorola, Toshiba, Acer, Hitachi, Digital, 3 Com, Philips, Novel and Lotus, among others.

Says Gurmukh Singh, marketing head of MZI, a subsidiary of the US$ 600 million Multiple Zones International, the firm behind the catalogue, "Every four PC'c sold in the US are thorough mail order. We have now launched the catalogue on the Internet, too, at http://www.thepczoneindia.com/ With presence on the Net, we can now sell more products. The number of information technology products was limited to just 2,000 in our 70-page print catalogue. On the Web, we launched with 5,000 products and will update to 10,000 products soon," he says.

Another niche that the internet will provide is the short time needed to market products. Since The PC Zone is a bi-monthly, the client demand for short-term product campaigns and promotions of a week or 10 days, cannot be fulfilled. This can be now met through the channel of 24 products categories on the website.

Based on the International model a catalogue marketing, Multiple Zones India prints 50,000 bi-monthly catalogues for a select audience. The catalogue tries to sell top international and national brands in hardware, software, peripherals and networking. The first firm in the country to pioneer mail order facilities for IT products, the major advantages that the venture offers are:

• One stop shopping for global brands.
• Regular updates on the latest IT products available worldwide.
• Wide selection and ease of procurement.
• Early delivery.
• Highly competitive pricing.
• Excellent pre- and after-sales technical support.

Recently, MZI has come out with special catalogues focussing on the IT segment. The plan is to alternate every month between the flagship catalogue, The PC Zone, and a special catalogue. "We are offering industry-specific and brand-specific specials. For instance, a special on Y2K solution or one on the entire product range of Compaq.

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