Retail electronics device seller RS components growing at 15-20%

Date: 26/06/2013
For electronic design engineers buying electronic components and semiconductor IC chips in small quantities is made easy by companies like RS Components which can deliver ICs within 4/5 days after receiving the order over net. U.K. headquartered RS Components, with its centralized warehouses located in U.K. and other international locations does serve the Indian electronics engineering retail requirement like the way online b2c retailer Flipkart serves the Indian consumer market. Shiv Bhambri, CEO, RS Components India talks to this writer and shares some of the facts on RS Components.

On the growth of RS components in India:
Shiv Bhambri: We are growing at 15 to 20% a year, we are looking at a target of 100 Crore Rupees in next 2/3 years. We are the number one, we are first one to come to India 17/18 year ago, so we are the first player advantage of being the first high level service player in the Indian market.

Presence of any made-in-India products in their product listing:
Shiv Bhambri: At present we have only global brands, but having said that — there are few Indian brands, which are also global. CDIL is one of them. There are couple of more brands, which we keep it confidential, because these are brands, which are sourced from India and put on to the global catalog. These few numbers are now increasing and we have a sourcing hub setup in India, where we are trying to expand brand portfolio and product portfolio for global sourcing platform from RS from India.

How quickly Indian customer gets the product after placing the order?

Shiv Bhambri: We are global company with a local flavour. Any company which can deliver a day before the competition— is in business. In India— when we do customer surveys— and we operating from 18 years, what our customer first need is the availability of the product in terms of the total range, then the price becomes important — then quality becomes important, but anything we deliver between 4 to 5 working days is a good delivery in India. All the shipment coming to India — cleared the same day and dispatched same day to anywhere in India. This also includes what we import to India.

Choice of buying in $ and Rupees:
Shiv Bhambri: Our customer have multiple choices of buying, they can either buy in Indian Rupee in India, or if they want to avail duty benefits, they can directly place orders through us to RS Headquarters in UK— with direct billing in Pounds and if it is coming from US, it is in US$s.

The top region of sales in India:
Shiv Bhambri: The biggest is in Bangalore, overall south (India) amounts for 40 to 50% of our sales.


Managing duplicate/counterfeit parts:
Shiv Bhambri: That is easily manageable, we do not buy from anywhere except from authorized warehouses i.e. U.K. Singapore. If it is competitive to buy from India— we buy from authorized manufacturers. RS is known for its quality.

Component sourcing from China:
Shiv Bhambri: we don't really source from China, we have huge warehouse in China, RS has a big-base in China, but we really don't source from China. Even the China sources major products from U.K., what they have it in warehouse is China for China products. The mother warehouse for RS is in the UK, RS sources all of its components from different locations, may be some coming from China. That goes back to the hub, from that hub it is distributed to all other warehouses. (RS is not stocking any of its products in India).

For small quantity electronic component buying, RS Components is one of the best option for EE design engineers in India.