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I can break the news that all 50 000 available TopTV decoders - stock that was supposed to be month's supply, has sold out IN ONE DAY, today.
Selling out every single decoder they had today has even surprised TopTV themselves, catching shop owners by surprise and stunning TopTV that's now scrambling to find more decoders and move them into stores.
Getting more TopTV decoders into stores will take a few days for On Digital Media (ODM) which has now shifted into crisis mode to try and get more decoders to clamouring customers nationwide and is telling shops to now start taking orders. All TopTV decoders that went on sale today at R499 that include free installation, has been sold out and will now silence even the harshest critics who had doubts about TopTV succeeding in the South African pay TV marketplace dominated by MultiChoice's DStv the past 15 years. The 50 000 brand new subscribers signed up in one day today, already represent 10% of the 500 000 subscribers that On Digital Media (ODM) needs in order to run a profitable pay TV business.
I just spoke to TopTV who tells me ''TopTV is completely overwhelmed''. Elouise Kelly, chief marketing officer tells me ''this has absolutely shattered our wildest expectations. In just one day we've sold our entire month's supply of set top boxes.''
TopTV decoders that were distributed nationwide and went on sale today with strict instructions to stores as well as a confidentiality clause not to unpack or display them before today, started selling out at 12:30 - some stores even early Saturday morning - as customers beset stores to find the set top box that comes with a free satellite dish and installation. Subscribers will pay between R99 and R249 once the decoder is installed and the pay TV service activated, depending on the number of TopTV TV channels they want to receive.
''The 50 000 was supposed to last us the first few weeks,'' Elouise Kelly tells me. ''We knew there was a lot of interest, but this is incredible and unbelievable.'' This creates an immediate dilemma for TopTV - how to get decoders to potential subscribers when you don't have any. The initial batch of TopTV set top boxes were manufactured outside of South Africa, but TopTV is now looking at South African decoder suppliers to help out.
''We don't want to turn anyone away and have arranged with stores that people can come in and place orders for a decoder,'' says Elouise Kelly. ''What stores will do is take their details and call them when new TopTV decoders arrive in stock which will hopefully be within days.'' ''We're looking at local solutions,'' she said when asked where TopTV will be sourcing additional set top boxes so quickly.
