IT associations to join Indefinite Strike on unethical pricing

In order to lend their voice and add to the strength of  IT  vendors and Government of India, Progressive Channels Association of Information Technology along with  All Delhi Computer Traders Association and other regional and state level associations in India will be on an indefinite bandh from 15 December.

“We are holding the national front and we have issued an advisory to start our protest from 15 December onwards. We will stop purchase from the National Distributors. We are demanding that distributors should play ethically and should match the IT retailer’s online prices,” informs Saket Kapur, General Secretary, PCAIT.

While talking to ITPV – IT channels regional magazine, about their demands from Distributors Saket suggests, “The distributors should have a print out of online prices and sell the products on the same prices and raise debit note. We are asking all the national distributors and brand owners to join in our protest. We know that the solution is with the government and not with the brand owners, so through this indefinite strike we would like to invite the attention of the government to our grievances.”

Supporting Saket on indefinite Strike, Swarn Singh, Secretary ADCTA shares, “We did not receive any positive response from the government and the brand owners. Following the suite of Confed-ITA and PACT, we will be banning the purchase from the distributors. We have spoken to vendors but they have not decided anything yet. They have asked for three weeks time and two weeks have passed already. We could not see any positive response from them.”

With no clue on how to stop the online purchasing, Saket says that vendors’ hands are tied and they do not have any clue on how to stop this menace. According to vendors, they have no right to stop anyone from selling the products.

Though the associations have given a memorandum to the IT ministry to take this matter as high priority, because it is resulting in a daily loss of business and revenue, the decision making authorities have not come to any conclusion. While going for an indefinite strike, PCAIT will also be monitoring the vendors’ reaction at regular intervals. Saket also added that during the strike if any vendor agrees to meet the demands then billing will be revoked for that particular vendor.

The association also held a meeting with brand owners and conference call with Lenovo, Dell and HP last month which was also attended by MAIT members, and shared their views, opinions and future course of actions and possible solutions. Speaking about the outcome of the meeting,  Vipul Garg, Senior Vice President, UPCDA  ( Uttar Pradesh computer dealer association )said, ”I have attended the meetings with dell and HP yesterday and HP seems to be taking a positive approach and is agreeing to take action against the culprits. We have demanded that the prices of the products should be same whether online or offline. The issue has become a menace for the traditional partners over the period of time as we are losing money, customers and faith among the customers.  We have gone on indefinite strike from today and will continue till the vendors take an affirmative action on our demands. All tier one channel partners are supporting our strike.”