Last year, Epson vigorously promoted its sports watches in China and sponsored athletes and events. In just one year, Epson achieved commendable results. What’s your view on last year’s development in China, and what are your expectations for the future?
Well, Epson undertook many market activities in China over the past year. 2017 could be considered the pioneering year for Epson’s sports watches — from product R&D to market launch, it was truly a foundational year. We went through a challenging period initially, as brand awareness and public recognition were still at a very early stage. We invested a lot of manpower and resources into promoting market activities, but we’re pleased to see that, through a series of user trials and continuous market campaigns, an increasing number of users have come to know, try, and eventually purchase Epson GPS sports watches. They’ve also come to recognize the value and functionality of Epson technology in meeting their specialized needs. It’s encouraging to see more users wearing Epson sports watches to participate in international marathons and domestic events, achieving excellent results. Epson’s sports watches have helped these sports enthusiasts consistently beat their personal bests (PBs), creating a positive cycle of improved performance through scientific training.
With the current boom in running and more sports watch brands entering the Chinese market, intensifying competition, how does Epson maintain its edge?
First of all, I think Epson is relatively new to this market, a latecomer. We are dedicated to integrating technology — particularly our core technologies — into our products, while continually communicating the advantages and core values of our products to our target users. That’s something Epson has always been doing. As for our competitors or rival products, I think it’s a positive thing. We can collectively help grow the market, continuously innovate, and launch products that better meet the real needs of sports enthusiasts. Through more events such as exhibitions or other market campaigns, we can build connections — that’s what we’ve been working on. We also hope that, through everyone’s joint efforts, this market will continue to expand, allowing sports and running enthusiasts to better enjoy the benefits of scientifically-based exercise methods brought by our products, helping them achieve their fitness goals and break their personal records.
How does Epson’s participation in the Beijing ISPO contribute to the brand’s development in China?
I think first of all, we can see many outdoor exhibitors participating. The exhibition serves as a bridge that connects manufacturers with users. Sometimes, manufacturers’ products may seem rather impersonal, so how do we convey our core essence and value to users? I believe exhibitions are a very important platform. We also hope there will be more such events, showcasing our products to the broader community of sports enthusiasts, building strong interaction and engagement between our products and users, and helping more people understand the intrinsic value our products bring.
What is the future trend for the development of outdoor sports watches in China?
Nationwide fitness has been a direction promoted in China over recent years. Beyond that, through some market research, we’ve found that scientific exercise and training are increasingly being embraced by users. Currently, many people still use relatively basic gear and equipment for personal training. There is growing interest in how to improve performance in a more scientific way. Therefore, Epson’s goal in accurately bringing such products to users is precisely this — to offer more targeted, customized exercise modes that align with users’ individual conditions. This is one of the strengths of our products.