Once upon a time, IDB was synonymous with all PC, computing hardware, and accessory-related products in the Bangladesh market. Most of the established brands at IDB were primarily focused on B2B or corporate sales. There were no established retail outlets that catered to consumers specifically for high-end or customized gaming PC builds. Additionally, the shops were more interested in selling branded PCs, and there wasn’t any quality service center for clone PCs. As a result, consumers, especially gamers, used to import high-end PC components from the Middle East, Europe, and the USA. To meet these demands of customers, in 2007, “Star Tech & Engineering Limited” was launched in a 100-square-foot shop at Multiplan, Elephant Road. The company quickly gained popularity among the gaming community in Bangladesh by providing high-end PC hardware and accessories along with superior customer service. From that humble 100-square-foot shop, Star Tech has now grown into a company with 19 branches and nearly 1,000 employees. In addition to its offline outlets, the company is now meeting the demands of customers for various tech products through its e-commerce website as it enters its 17th year.
The Journey
The founders of Star Tech—Rashed Ali Bhuiyan, Mazharul Alam, MD Zahid Ali Bhuiyan, and Mahbub Alam—gained insights into the various challenges faced by PC customers in Bangladesh early in their careers while working in this sector. Motivated by the desire to solve these problems and provide quality products and superior customer service, they launched their venture at Multiplan Center, Elephant Road. From the start, Star Tech was consumer-centric, prioritizing customer satisfaction, and began its journey with a strong focus on after-sales service.
When Star Tech initially began, load shedding (frequent power outages) was a major issue in Bangladesh. Customers had to climb nine floors of stairs to visit the small shop at Multiplan to purchase PC hardware and components. At that time, Multiplan Center was not well-known for computer hardware and accessories. To build trust with customers, Star Tech targeted the growing gaming community in Bangladesh. The global gaming industry was already quite advanced at the time, and the founders of Star Tech believed that this global trend would soon catch on in Bangladesh as well. They began offering customized clone PCs, PC accessories, and components, specifically targeting gamers. Since customized clone PCs required more servicing compared to branded PCs, the company also emphasized servicing alongside selling PC hardware and components. Through word of mouth, based on satisfied customers who received superior service and high-end PC hardware, trust in the company grew.
As Star Tech continued to receive positive feedback from customers, it gradually expanded its offerings by introducing products from internationally popular brands. In addition to increasing its product offerings, the company also expanded its outlets and service centers to provide better convenience for customers. Currently, Star Tech has 19 branches across the country, serving customers in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chittagong, Rangpur, Khulna, Rajshahi, and several other districts with PC hardware, accessories, and tech products. Recognizing the potential and growth of e-commerce in the country, Star Tech realized that it was essential to have an e-commerce platform to meet the needs of customers from every corner of the country. With this in mind, the company has placed great emphasis on building an SEO-friendly and user-experience-optimized website from the beginning. As a result, Star Tech’s website has become quite popular among customers looking for tech products in Bangladesh, with over 100,000 daily visitors. Through its e-commerce site, Star Tech delivers products to customers’ homes within 3-7 business days. Customers can make purchases using MFS (Mobile Financial Services), debit or credit cards, avail EMI (Equated Monthly Installment), and enjoy free home delivery. Star Tech processes more than 500 e-commerce orders daily, delivering a wide range of products from global tech brands to customers in even the most remote districts of the country through its robust supply chain.
In addition to its success in the retail market, Star Tech has also expanded its operations in the corporate segment. The company’s reputation for providing quality products and superior servicing support has earned it recognition, including ISO certification and authorized distributor status for top brands such as Lenovo, HP, Dell, Intel, and Toshiba. This has made the company highly regarded among B2B partners and corporate customers. Star Tech sells over 200 products from 30 global tech brands, including ASRock, Antec, TEAM, Palit, Lian Li, and EKWB, through more than 500 distributors and its own outlets in the Bangladesh market. To manage this extensive operation, the company launched a new venture called Distribution Hub in 2023. Additionally, Star Tech’s corporate wing has been involved in several national projects of significance, including providing server and hardware support for the Automatic Fare Collection System of the Dhaka Metro Rail, and the automation project for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hospital.
With all these elements combined, Star Tech has become the leading retail brand in Bangladesh for PCs, hardware, components, tech products, and gadgets in recent years. The company now operates 19 branches across the country, an e-commerce platform, a corporate wing, and the new Distribution Hub venture, employing more than 900 people in the process.
Future Plans
Since its inception, Star Tech has been working to make global tech products available in the domestic market at affordable prices. With this goal in mind, the company plans to open outlets in every division and gradually in every district of Bangladesh. This grand plan aims to maintain the company’s position as the top retailer in the PC, hardware, and tech product segments in the country. Additionally, Star Tech plans to introduce a Home-Tech Service, initially targeting Dhaka city, to provide servicing support directly at customers’ homes.
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