The tl;dr version: what other company has this many tentacles going into so many markets. At some point, is Samsung going to basically subsidize every purchase, and grow its business by turning buyers into subscribers? If the company can maintain its focus, and continue to fund its reach, the implication should be that it will have gained market share during an economic downturn, staying aggressive while its competitors remained cautious.
Samsung recently announced that it had expanded its B2B online store, which is exclusively targeted at small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The store, which started in 2021 in five countries, including the US, UK, France, and Australia, but now covers 30 countries across Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The store’s recent expansion includes opening up in Germany, which is one of the largest SMB markets in Europe. With this move, Samsung Electronics aims to tap into the country’s growing online B2B business, which has seen a significant surge in demand during the pandemic.
The B2B online store, which can be found on Samsung.com, offers a range of products, including TVs, monitors, air conditioners, refrigerators, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. One of the ways it caters to SMBs is by offering various payment options, including installment payments and invoice payments. Additionally, customers get exclusive corporate-only promotions, discounts on the total purchase amount, and technical support. The company claims that since its launch, the average number of newly signed-up members globally has increased by 100%, and sales on the B2B online store have doubled in growth as of February 2022.
The Samsung Reach and Grasp Empire
There may be a reason why Apple is a frenemy of Samsung, and it probably has to do with the breadth of opportunities that the company has available to it, from manufacturing to direct consumer sales. It’s interesting to note that Samsung is essentially fighting every war for every product on every front, and that level of aggression needs to be lauded. Whether the company is stretched too thin, or whether any of this is giving the kinds of return on investment (ROI) that its investors will expect, is another thing. It’s very unusual to find a company that has so many tentacles reaching into so many different sales channels. I would love to know if there is a direct correlation between Samsung selling a refrigerator to a customer and that customer eventually owning a Samsung TV or phone, or any of the number of devices that use Samsung displays. I can see why someone would buy Samsung appliances and include a Samsung TV in that, but does it extend to phones, tablets, and PCs? LG has similar channels, but it is clear that, right now, Samsung is willing to push, pull, and tug at any chance of getting a sale.
