Euroomba
Eureka Forbes has started selling Roomba clones.
What?
Roomba, in case you didn't know, is the class of disk shaped 'robotic' vacuum cleaners, floor washers and similar products from iRobot.
Eureka Forbes has priced their similar 'robotic' vacuum cleaners at Rs. 6990 (about USD 160), which is quite cheap given that the two cheapest models from iRobot are priced at USD 130 and USD 180.
How? When?
There hasn't been any recent (over the last year and a half) news on any tie-ups with academic institutes or manufacturer. And I don't remember having read or heard about this product till today, when I found out about this product just because I spotted a banner ad.
So, they have apparently launched this recently by getting a few units from some Chinese manufacturers (god knows there are enough of them) and throwing in a few thousand dollars in internet advertising.
Why?
Now why would they get into this business. There isn't enough volume - there is barely any volume in the conventional vacuum cleaner market. And they are aware of it, given that the banner was on a robotics blog. How many people would follow up on something like that?
And, there isn't enough margin - iRobot has hardly ever hit anything more than 4% net profit margin. This is despite the fact that their margins are inflated by defense contracts.
I guess someone decided that this is a low volume - but crucially also - low risk and low involvement work, so they are engaged in some territorial pissing for the robotic vacuum cleaner market that will develop in India around 2025. Really. Take for instance that they had put TV advertising money for vacuum cleaners in 1989 or something when the annual demand in India must have been for about four units.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus point.
I kid not about the Chinese manufacturers. As I remarked a couple of days ago, the only thing for which you probably wouldn't find some Chinese manufacturers to do OEM work is probably contact lens. I am sure there is some factory which will build you a full scale working Saturn-V rocket.
What?
Roomba, in case you didn't know, is the class of disk shaped 'robotic' vacuum cleaners, floor washers and similar products from iRobot.
Eureka Forbes has priced their similar 'robotic' vacuum cleaners at Rs. 6990 (about USD 160), which is quite cheap given that the two cheapest models from iRobot are priced at USD 130 and USD 180.
How? When?
There hasn't been any recent (over the last year and a half) news on any tie-ups with academic institutes or manufacturer. And I don't remember having read or heard about this product till today, when I found out about this product just because I spotted a banner ad.
So, they have apparently launched this recently by getting a few units from some Chinese manufacturers (god knows there are enough of them) and throwing in a few thousand dollars in internet advertising.
Why?
Now why would they get into this business. There isn't enough volume - there is barely any volume in the conventional vacuum cleaner market. And they are aware of it, given that the banner was on a robotics blog. How many people would follow up on something like that?
And, there isn't enough margin - iRobot has hardly ever hit anything more than 4% net profit margin. This is despite the fact that their margins are inflated by defense contracts.
I guess someone decided that this is a low volume - but crucially also - low risk and low involvement work, so they are engaged in some territorial pissing for the robotic vacuum cleaner market that will develop in India around 2025. Really. Take for instance that they had put TV advertising money for vacuum cleaners in 1989 or something when the annual demand in India must have been for about four units.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus point.
I kid not about the Chinese manufacturers. As I remarked a couple of days ago, the only thing for which you probably wouldn't find some Chinese manufacturers to do OEM work is probably contact lens. I am sure there is some factory which will build you a full scale working Saturn-V rocket.