The smartphone brands such as OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola, LeEco, and InFocus that are online exclusive brands are accelerating their plans to create vital offline presence. They are planning for it despite the concerns that the e-commerce rules might hit the online smartphone business because of curbs on the discounts.
These brands are claimed to be toying with the idea of employing their own online resellers or having their own e-commerce stores that are allowed by the regulations. This way, they will not use the sellers that are appointed by the e-commerce marketplaces.
LeEco reportedly plans to set up around four to five flagship experience stores as well as 100 outlets apart from selling its products via the multi-brand outlets and building its own e-commerce site in the country. The brand is also in plans to launch offline exclusive variants to enhance the growth of its channel and debut with local manufacturing in the country.
Another brand InFocus wants to double its present offline stores in three months and it is also in plans to invest on the making presence to be felt inside the stores.
Both Motorola and Xiaomi are piloting offline presence in some markets and they are eyeing to scale the same. OnePlus stated that it will continue its association with the online marketplace Amazon India for the purpose of sales. It will set up experience centers in seven cities where the consumers can book the devices directly through Amazon after experiencing the products. Moreover, the products will be delivered in just an hour. The Chinese brands Vivo and Oppo are mostly focused offline.
Arvinder Khurana, the president of the All India Mobile Retailers Association that is a physical cellphone retail lobby stated that the online exclusive brands are focusing on the physical distribution keenly. They are creating offline channel loyalty as well.
