Mobile gadget prices can spike again in Russia on weak ruble

MOSCOW, Aug 25 (PRIME) -- Prices of mobile devices in Russia can rise in the nearest future due to weakening of the ruble, spokespeople for handset retailers told PRIME late Monday.

Retailer Euroset’s President Alexander Malis said that prices of smartphones can go up over the next three weeks.

“As a rule, leaps of exchange rates impact prices of gadgets with a lag of several weeks and last for two–three months. If nothing changes, prices of smartphones and tablets will start ascending in about three weeks and then (continue growing) gradually during two–three months,” Malis said.

A source from an operator said that prices will rise 10–14% on all models during the coming month.

Retail chain Svyaznoy also expects prices to grow soon. “During the next weeks, producers can raise purchasing prices on gadgets, which will influence retail prices,” the seller’s spokeswoman Mariya Zaikina said.

Svyaznoy has no plans to dramatically revise prices, but the company will be most likely forced to hike price tags, she said.

Mobile operator MTS, which also runs its own monobrand stores, has not decided on whether to raise prices of gadgets yet, but everything will depend on producers. “MTS intends to always offer the best prices on the market on all models of smartphones, modems and routers,” spokesman Dmitry Solodovnikov said.

“The price policy of producers of mobile devices depends on a whole range of factors, including a competitive situation. Manufacturers often keep prices unchanged, afraid to lose the market share. And on the contrary, they can cut prices to boost sales,” Tatyana Zvereva, a spokeswoman for mobile operator MegaFon, which also has a retail chain, said.

The sellers do not expect a rush demand for gadgets as it was at the end of 2014 on the wave of a severe devaluation of the ruble. “People do not step on the same rake. We should understand that purchases require spare money, and there are no such conditions at present,” Malis from Euroset said.

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