Chinese manufacturer has had great success in India.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: After receiving overwhelming response from consumers in India, the Chinese smartphone makers Xiaomi is planning to launch an independent online store, and maybe part ways from its online retail partner Flipkart.
Xiaomi entered the Indian smartphone industry as part of an expansion plan after the company rose to the top position in the Chinese smartphone industry, surprising premium manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple.
The big entry of Xiaomi in India was facilitated by Flipkart, the leading e-retailer that popularized Mi3, the first device that the company sold in the country through the flash sale model. Mi3 became a talking point on the social media for the amazing specifications offered in a price that Indian smartphone industry has never seen before.
This was followed by Xiaomi releasing a slew of smartphones such as Redmi 1S, Redmi Note 3G/5G, Mi4 and the recently launched Redmi 2. Throughout this period, Flipkart remained as a strong supporter of Xiaomi, not only in sales but also in advertising.
Now that the brand has gained a reputation of its own, the company is slowly moving away from Flipkart. Even when Xiaomi sold devices via Flipkart, they maintained a vibrant Facebook fans page and an India website, giving details about product launches and device specs.
Recently, the website started selling accessories of Mi devices, which was earlier available only in Flipkart. Currently, the website has listed earphones, back covers and flip covers. In addition to these accessories, the company is also planning to sell Mi Power Banks very soon via its official website.
All these point towards previous speculations about the company’s plan to self-sustain without the backing of Flipkart. There are also reports that Xiaomi might continue selling smartphones through Flipkart even after moving to a stand-alone online store.