Kyocera moves into online retail to meet home office needs

COVID-19 has made it likely that most companies will continue to support and encourage flexible working arrangements, and it is expected that many workers will continue to work from home.

The role of the printer is likely to become more important for consumers than ever before. People are now shopping for reliable printers they can use at home.

Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa’s (KDZA) move into retail has long been on the cards and the timing couldn’t be better. Consumers will now be able to order Kyocera printers, which are known for their robust and innovative technology, from online store Takealot.

“We have a strong portfolio of printers and multi-function printers (MFPs) for all markets ranging from the SOHO to large corporates,” says Greg Griffith, Hardware Product Manager of Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa.

“We want to be able to service all sectors of the market and we have been looking to expand into retail for a while. The current global crisis has made it imperative that we are able to sell directly to people who now need to set up their office at home or need to cater for home schooling.”

Griffith says the expansion into retail will encourage the growth of new market opportunities. “The rationale for the move is the result of much analysis of internal sales data and external channel data, confirmed by external market research. The decision was made long before the pandemic, however with the massive growth of working from home, we are excited about being able to support this new trend.”

The move from a business-to-business (B2B) into business-to-consumer (B2C) offering will introduce the brand to a broader market, elevating overall brand awareness within this broader market.

In the first phase, consumers will be able to choose from eight products suitable for the small office home office market. These are the Kyocera FS-1060dn, P2040dn, P2040dw, P2235dn, P2235dw, P5021cdn, M5521cdn and the M5521cdw. Whether mono or colour, these A4 laser printers have a sufficient range of features needed for the home office user. We believe we bring a competitive range of printers to the market, the overall running costs are lower than many other units, which means that consumers save more in the long term.

It is important to note that while we are entering this new route to market, that these Working from Home devices are also available via our national dealer channel network as well.

“Kyocera has attained 1st place in Southern Africa market share for A4 Copier/MFPs for the last 2 years only operating on a B2B basis. However, the route to the B2C market is online, especially at this time,” says Griffith. “We partnered with Takealot because the company has a solid track record and it’s a trusted online purchasing portal in South Africa that offers consumers speed of delivery and the convenience of shopping from the safety of their home.”

Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa

Headquartered in Midrand, Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa is a country level subsidiary of Kyocera Document Solutions and is responsible for the sales and marketing of Kyocera printers and document solutions throughout southern Africa.

Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa is renowned for its tailor-made document solutions that provide a perfect blend of premium products, software solutions and professional services that increase an organisation's workflow efficiency, enhance employee productivity, minimise environmental impact and significantly reduce operating costs.

The company offers world-class monochrome and colour printers, multifunctional products, parts and supplies, as well as software solutions.

A key differentiator for the Kyocera brand is the primary focus on overall value as opposed to only considering the initial acquisition price. Its solutions portfolio and Managed Document Services division help customers to reduce costs and environmental impact, at the same time as improving the efficiency and reliability of common business processes.

Kyocera Document Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation, which is a leading manufacturer of hi-tech ceramics, electronic components, solar cells and electronic office equipment.

KYOCERA Document Solutions

KYOCERA Document Solutions, headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a leading manufacturer of document imaging solutions and document management systems, including colour and monochrome multifunctional products as well as printers and wide-format devices. Kyocera's products are renowned for their unique long-life imaging components that provide greater reliability and less waste, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over the life of the product. The KYOCERA Document Solutions portfolio does not stop at hardware. A full suite of business applications and consultative services allow customers to optimise and manage their document workflow, unleashing the full potential of their hardware investment.

KYOCERA Document Solutions is a core company of KYOCERA Corporation, the world's leading developer and manufacturer of advanced ceramics and associated products, including telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages and electronic components. During the year ended 31 March 2017, KYOCERA Corporation's net sales totalled 1.42 trillion yen (approx. EUR 11.9 billion). For more information and press-ready photos, visit