VietNamNet Bridge – With the proliferation of UHD televisions in the past three years, few markets have been more important to manufacturers and retailers than Vietnam. Likewise, few markets are riper for counterfeits than Vietnam.

False 4K products are distinguishable by bare eyes as their color expression is vague - Photo: SAMSUNG

Asia’s youngest market is attractive because of its brisk growth. According to government statistics, Vietnam’s population has surpassed 90 million and adds one million more people a year. In the next 10 years, about 17 million people between the ages of 10 and 19 will enter the consumer market, ready to make purchases, according to data from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Vietnam is now becoming one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the Southeast Asian region. Higher living standards and rising incomes, especially in Can Tho, Danang, Haiphong, Hanoi, HCMC and Nha Trang, have enabled consumers to spend more. Retail sales of goods and services grew from VND1.2 trillion in 2009 to VND2.3 trillion in 2012, an 86% increase.

In a recent report from global market researcher TNS, 95% of rural Vietnamese families surveyed said they were willing to buy televisions.

Those statistics have not been lost on retailers and manufacturers looking to gain a foothold in Vietnam’s bustling economy.

Vietnamese consumers want the same things as everyone else - good, reliable products that enhance their daily lives, according to research from McKinsey & Company. What makes Vietnam distinctive, though, is how quickly consumers are moving up the ladder. Increasingly, people are buying more sophisticated products and they are demanding value for their hard-earned money.

And the family television, long held as the premier technological focal point of the home, is at the pinnacle of sophisticated products for the rising middle class in Vietnam.

The television has gone through landmark iterations in the past few years as leading manufacturers continue to innovate and introduce groundbreaking features and incredible picture quality. Because of this, the UHD television has been solidified as a premiere product in the global consumer electronics category.

According to Display Search, a provider of information, analysis, and industry events focused on the display supply chain and display-related industries, the global UHD market will see 30 million units being sold in 2015 and is expected to surpass 50 million by 2016. However, an increase in product demand often leads to the development and distribution of counterfeit products, which is precisely the case in many Asian markets.

The Beijing Morning Post recently reported that there are counterfeit 4K TVs with RGBW panels being sold across China. However, counterfeit 4K TVs are popping up at retailers in Singapore and Vietnam as well.

Checking for quality

The China Household Electrical Appliances Association (CHEAA) encouraged consumers to be on the look-out for such products by posting a statement on their official website.

CHEAA shared one defining factor with consumers, noting that “false 4K products are distinguishable by bare eyes as their color expression is vague, and stripy white noises are observed when looked at with a magnifying glass.”

Consumer protection advocates are also encouraging shoppers to check picture quality more closely during their next visit to their local retailer. One option is to use a magnifying glass which better illustrates the large quantity of white pixels onscreen.

Another approach to consider is taking an 8x zoom picture using a mobile phone. By using the zoom functionality, consumers will clearly see the white pixels between the red, green and blue pixels.

Of course, the simplest way to determine validity is to look for a trusted UHD certification logo within retail shops across Asia Pacific. Samsung Electronics currently features a DE certification within key Vietnam retailers - highlighting products that deliver premium UHD picture quality.