Xiaomi is looking to expand its presence in India with the launch of 100 experience stores across the country later this year. The centers will allow prospective customers to get a hands-on look at all the products Xiaomi has to offer.
No devices will be sold at the stores, with Xiaomi stating that it will continue to sell products exclusively through Flipkart. There was talk of Xiaomi starting its own e-commerce portal, with the vendor set to reveal its plans at a later stage.
Xiaomi is also set to create manufacturing facilities in India, where the vendor will assemble the devices that will go on sale locally. Currently, all Xiaomi products are imported from China, but in the next 12 to 18 months, the manufacturer is looking to assemble handsets within the country. Xiaomi will also be looking to sell products assembled in India in neighboring countries as it looks to continue its global expansion.
Along with manufacturing facilities, Xiaomi is building an R&D division in India that will deliver an ecosystem of content and services tailored to customers located within the country.
The move to launch offline experience centers is a way to get more users to get some hands-on time with Xiaomi products, and to also dispel the negative image most consumers have with regard to Chinese vendors, which were notorious for selling low-quality knock-offs in the Indian market a few years ago. The centers will also offer service and support for Xiaomi’s devices.
Xiaomi is not the only vendor looking to increase its presence in India, as Motorola has also announced that it will also be launching similarly-themed experience stores in the country this year.
