Acquisition is a priority for the Greeks “smart” mobileaccording to recent Focus Bari study on the movement of the market of electronic devices in the first decade of March in a sample of 1000 people.

As it turned out, mobile devices are the most frequent expense item for purchases in Greece, which, according to this criterion, ranks fifth among 18 countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates). The first four places belong to Mexico, China, the United Arab Emirates and India. According to the survey, 44% of respondents in Greece have bought a smart mobile phone in the past twelve months, compared with an average of 32% for the rest of the world.

Mobile phones are the best-selling electronic devices in our country, and the price and features determine the purchasing choice for both Greeks and foreigners. For more than 60% of respondents, the main purchase criterion was the price, and for 34% of the respondents, the brand was the determining factor. It is worth noting that only for 7%-8% data security and robust device features play a role in the market.

The Focus Bari study confirms the trend towards smart mobile phones among Greeks. It is significant that in 2015 (according to the SEPE study), in which there was a capital control that allegedly increased consumer spending due to the fear of “cutting” deposits, sales increased by 26% compared to 2014, up to 2.24 million units. This volume of devices sold was in line with revenue of €502 million, up 27.2% in 2015 compared to 2014. At that time, more than 50% of smartphones, i.e. 1.5 million units, cost less than 200 euros, and their selling price exceeded 500 euros.

The average selling price of a device exceeds 350 euros compared to 232 euros in 2016.

In 2016, sales of smartphones remained at the level of 2015, and in 2017, although the number of smart mobile devices sold decreased to 2.1 million, the value of this market increased slightly to 522 million euros.

According to market participants, in 2017 the average selling price increased from 232 euros in 2016 to 238 euros and now exceeds 350 euros.

In the 2020-2022 period, smartphone sales in Greece have declined – in line with the international trend – but the overall cost has increased, which means Greeks have switched to more expensive models. It is significant that in 2022, about 1.88 million “smart” devices were sold, i.e. 1.5% less than in 2021. However, about 700 million euros were spent last year, compared to 630 million euros in 2021. It is worth noting that total spending on smartphones in 2022 is about 40% higher, than in 2015.

This increase is due to the fact that the mobile phone has become the main device for connecting to the Internet and a key tool for digital transactions. According to an earlier study by Focus Bari (September 2022), the average internet connection time from a mobile phone reaches 2 hours per day, with nearly 9 out of 10 Greeks (87%) using social media daily for 86 minutes on average.

Inflation did not slow down the market

The Greek smartphone market appears to be able to withstand shocks caused by inflationary pressures. In 2022, mobile phone sales fell by only 1.5% compared to 2021, while the unit market in value terms increased by 10.2%, to around 700 million euros. Which companies hold the largest market share? According to the information, in 2022, Samsung showed a market share of 40%, which is the largest and remained stable compared to 2021. Xiaomi is in second place with 30%, while Apple is in third place with a share of about 15%. . However, in 2022, the American smartphone maker increased its sales by five percentage points compared to 2021. Smaller shares, below 5.5%-6%, are occupied by TCL, Realme, Motorola, Vivo and Oppo.