Sold out again! Why is Nokia doing this?

Why is Nokia out of stock amid fierce competition from Apple, Xiaomi, Huawei and other brands? This article helps you explore Nokia's situation in the current market and provides some consumer behavior cases for reference.

No one expected that at a time when smartphones were dominating the market, Nokia could return to the consumer market with keypad phones, making the quiet and introverted mobile phone market lively again.

1. Sold out again, Nokia phones are back

Recently, Nokia has set off a retro trend in the consumer market. Originally, the brand launched a classic replica to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of Nokia 3210, but it was sold out quickly and messages urging for delivery were everywhere. This also made Nokia, which once swept the market and became the youth memory of the post-80s and post-90s, once again become the focus of public attention at a time when smartphones are king.

Not long ago, Nokia Mobile said on its official Weibo that it was once again touched and that the stock was currently sold out. In fact, this was the second limited-edition sale by Nokia, and it was still sold out. The brand also announced the next release date.

Since returning to the market in May, Nokia 3210 has been sold out many times. Perhaps driven by the herd mentality, many consumers have gone to Nokia's official Weibo to urge sales, which shows how popular it is.

After the products were sold out, those consumers who had missed out on Nokia were even more excited than the brand. While urging sales, they also "guided" the brand to quickly launch replica models of other classic models.

It is hard to imagine that a product released in 1999 can make a comeback and become so popular in 2024. It makes people want to find out why Nokia phones are so popular.

2. Why can consumers fall in love with Nokia again?

If we trace back to the source, there are always irreplaceable factors behind the emergence of a phenomenon. In Mr. Bingfa's opinion, there are at least three reasons why consumers are so obsessed with Nokia again.

1. Feelings

In the comment section of Nokia Mobile's Weibo, many people said "It fulfilled my childhood dream", "It's a memory of my youth", "I didn't have the money to buy it when I was a child, so I want to make up for the regret", "I want the e71 to make my dream come true"... It is obvious that emotions are hard to control, but dreams can come true. Being able to make up for past regrets at a very small cost and make regrets no longer regrets is what many people dream of.

At the same time, Nokia also put the focus of marketing on "feelings", with the theme of "classic reproduction, back to 1999", which gave people a sense of time travel. It also exaggerated "retro" and "memories" to make consumers crazy. After all, the return of the dream phone drives people's consumption psychology.

Nokia, which can be regarded as the collective memory of a generation, seems to have found its own traffic code in this era of involution, ignited consumers' enthusiasm for consumption, and successfully stirred up the mobile phone consumer market. However, if only sentiment is not widely recognized by young people, Nokia's audience will be narrow. Talking about "returning" to the mobile phone market seems a bit too much.

2. Consumers’ pursuit of minimalist living

The preference for minimalist life is another reason why consumers fall in love with Nokia again.

As for the phone itself, its retro design and practical product functions have touched more people's yearning for the innocent days of the past. In addition, the smartphone market is highly competitive and involuted, with designs and functions similar to each other. The Nokia 3210 candy bar phone is like a breath of fresh air, effectively avoiding consumers' aesthetic fatigue.

It is also because of the changing needs of consumers. In the information age, people are overwhelmed by the vast amount of information on their mobile phones, making the "short escape" lifestyle Wildeat a popular trend. Consumers fall in love with the replica Nokia again, largely because of the change in consumer needs.

Even though they know that Nokia replicas cannot connect to wifi or WeChat, like children's watches, these are "advantages" for those who love Nokia. Nokia phones, which simplify functions, meet the needs of consumers in specific scenarios and become the first choice for people's backup phones.

3. It is a substitute for CCD cameras

Another factor is that social needs prompt people to want the photos they take to stand out from those around them.

The photos taken by the Nokia 3210 mobile phone, which has only 2 million pixels, do not have the effect of skin smoothing and beautification, but they are exactly the same as those taken by CCD cameras, giving off a retro feel. Many people regard Nokia cameras as a substitute for CCD cameras. At the same time, the photos full of atmosphere have become an asset for the public to show off in their Moments.

In terms of price, the price of a CCD camera in the second-hand digital market is about 500 yuan, while the price of a Nokia 3210 phone is less than 400 yuan, and it also has multiple functions such as making calls, playing games (including the classic Snake), and 4G Internet access. A camera that can make calls is hard to refuse.

Of course, some people think it's not worth it. The photos taken with 2 megapixels are too blurry and cannot be compared with modern 50 megapixel phones. In addition, some people are used to seeing clear high-definition photos, so they are naturally dissatisfied with the photos taken with Nokia phones. The mixed reviews seem to have aroused the curiosity of more consumers and made many people eager to try it.

3. Write to the end

In 1999, Nokia 3210 was in short supply as soon as it was released. Its high price at that time "rejected" many consumers.

In 2024, the Nokia 3210 replica made a comeback, bringing back many people's memories of Y2K. The "nostalgia killing" filled the social network, and the affordable price made many people choose to "buy it".

After the carnival, some consumers began to think rationally: Apart from replicas, what else does Nokia have left? After all, with the rapid development of science and technology, contemporary consumers enjoy the convenience and entertainment brought by intelligent products, and people's lives are inseparable from social software.

Nokia's keypad phones, which can only make calls, send text messages, take photos and make payments, are a pipe dream for Nokia to gain a firm foothold in the current world. If Nokia wants to return to the mainstream consumer market, the lack of innovation will be the biggest obstacle to the brand.

Author: Mr. Bingfa

Source: WeChat public account "Marketing Art of War (ID: lanhaiyingxiao)"