Generally, dealers roll out new products from the valley during normal times, but many companies have now been doing so from other places.

While the Tarai is the main market for summer appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners, Kathmandu is the main market for other items like televisions, washing machines, cars and motorcycles, according to traders.  

CG Electronics, the authorised distributor of LG in Nepal, has launched its new smart refrigerators from Pokhara.

The company has also started running a new promotional campaign at its various showrooms where customers can get various gifts and discount offers.

Air conditioner dealers have been marketing their products in cities in other places of the country in their quest for growth as business has dived 50 percent in the valley due to the disaster.

Mobile dealers have also started launching low-cost phones that are suitable for the city and rural areas besides expanding their sales and distribution channels.

Similarly, Volkswagen’s authorised distributor Pooja International launched its Sirocco sports car in Pokhara last Saturday.

“As the earthquake has affected business in the Kathmandu Valley, our main focus will be outside the valley for at least three-four months,” said Bibek Bijukchhe, chief executive officer of the company.

The company had planned to roll out the Scirocco sports car by April-end in the valley. But after the earthquake, it has put it off. “We will probably launch the car here next month,” said Bijukchhe.

Karan Choudhari, executive director of CG MotoCorp, the authorised distributor of Maruti Suzuki four-wheelers in Nepal, said that they had been planning how to recover their losses from markets untouched by the earthquake. “If you talk about cars, 60 percent of the total sales happen in the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas, but the people here are still not in a mood to buy new vehicles,” said Choudhari, adding that they had no plans to roll out new models in the valley anytime soon.

Ganesh Raj Pandey, sales manager at Him Electronics, the authorised distributor of Samsung in Nepal, said that sales of premium ranged consumer goods were low compared to other products in the aftermath of the quake.

“Smart televisions, double-door refrigerators and washing machines are not doing well as the main customers are in the valley and the people here are focusing on rebuilding their damaged houses these days,” he said.