Galaxy S21 Sales Sailing Smoothly... 'Jageupje' Significantly Increasing

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Samsung Electronics' flagship smartphone series for the first half of the year, the ‘Galaxy S21’ series, is off to a smooth start with sales increasing by 30% compared to its predecessor. In particular, sales of the ‘self-supply’ model, where consumers purchase smartphones directly through online and offline channels without going through mobile carriers, have more than doubled compared to the previous generation.

According to Samsung Electronics on the 10th, domestic sales performance of the Galaxy S21 series (January 29 to February 8), which was officially released on the 29th of last month, increased by about 30% compared to the same period of the Galaxy S20 series. By model, the standard ‘Galaxy S21’ accounted for about 40% of total sales, making it the best-selling model, followed by the high-end ‘Galaxy S21 Ultra’ at about 36%.

By channel, the rise of self-supply was remarkable. It accounted for about 30% of total sales, and sales volume was found to have more than doubled compared to the previous generation. Among self-supply sales, online sales accounted for about 60%. Consumers who purchase self-supply phones are not required to use specific plans or additional services. Unlike carrier-sold models, which require mandatory subscription to 5G plans, 5G phones can be used with LTE plans. Samsung Electronics’ addition of a self-supply exclusive Galaxy S21 Ultra color model and increased purchase benefits through distribution channels such as Coupang are also evaluated to have contributed to the increase in self-supply sales.

Samsung Electronics analyzed that the strong sales of this product were largely due to its differentiated design and excellent camera features. The Galaxy S21 series features a ‘Contour Cut’ design, where the main body, side frame, and rear camera are smoothly connected to provide a sense of unity, distinguishing it from previous Galaxy S series models. Additionally, it offers the best user experience with the most powerful processor ever in a Galaxy smartphone and a camera significantly enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Aggressive pricing policies, such as setting the launch price of the standard Galaxy S21 below 1 million KRW for the first time among 5G flagship smartphones, are also considered a cause of the initial popularity. Earlier, the Galaxy S21 showed stronger-than-expected early sales momentum, leading to a one-week extension of the reservation activation period for some models due to a shortage of pre-activation stock a day before the official series launch on the 28th of last month. The shortage was concentrated in the standard Galaxy S21 model.

Furthermore, various trade-in, rental services, and consumer participation events are also believed to have contributed to the sales increase. Since the 16th of last month, Samsung Electronics has been running the ‘Galaxy To Go Service’ at over 200 stores nationwide, allowing customers to rent and try the Galaxy S21 series for up to three days without any conditions. Samsung Electronics explained, "The number of Galaxy To Go service users has increased significantly compared to the previous generation," and "According to surveys of users, most responded that their intention to purchase the product increased, showing high satisfaction."

The Galaxy S21 is expected to continue its smooth sailing for the time being. Samsung Electronics anticipates that demand for the Galaxy S21 series will further increase around March to April, when the contract periods of customers using existing Galaxy S series devices expire. Industry experts also predict that the sales volume of the Galaxy S21 will far exceed that of its predecessor. Earlier, global market research firm Counterpoint Research estimated that domestic sales of the Galaxy S21 series this year would reach about 2.4 million units, a roughly 40% increase compared to the annual sales volume of about 1.7 million units for the previous Galaxy S20 series.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.