Xiaomi has launched its Mi Store on Wheels retail experience in India. Through this, the company says it can reach out to the “heart of India,” with a focus on connecting villages and remote parts of the country. Given the ongoing coronavirus-induced pandemic, several offline retail stores in the country has taken a hit as customers are mostly restricted to their homes due to consequent lockdowns. However, with this new retail strategy, Xiaomi’s offline team can now bring the company’s retail experience to customers at home.
Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi Global Vice President and Managing Director of its India operations, made the announcement today with a tweet. Jain shared several photos of the mobile stores in action. Designed like any regular food van, the Mi Store on Wheels is essentially a moving van with a pop-up store set up on its rear. Apart from selling the company’s latest smartphones, the stores sell other offerings as well, including Mi Smart TVs, Mi Box 4K, Mi TV Stick, Mi CCTV Cameras, Mi Sports Bluetooth Earphones, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2, Redmi Earbuds S, Mi Sunglasses, powerbanks, and chargers.
Jain said that the project was completed within 40 days, with an aim to bring Xiaomi products to customers in villages and non-metro cities. The mobile van seen in the photo carries a distinct serial number on its doors, that appears to be the company’s way of tracking its mobile stores. Xiaomi hasn’t revealed the list of cities or states where the stores will be deployed first.
Mi India COO Muralikrishnan B said in a prepared statement, “With this new initiative and having the largest exclusive single brand retail network, we are determined to reach the remotest of areas in the country and address the needs of customers, bringing the Mi Store experience to their neighbourhood.” He also said that the moving stores will maintain social distancing among crowds and will follow all necessary hygiene and safety practices.
The Mi Stores on Wheels will also take feedback from customers, who can request for any specific product they have in mind for when the store returns back to their city.
In other Xiaomi-related news, the company recently hinted at the launch of its first smartwatch in India. The Mi Watch Color that was launched in China in January this year is expected to make its way into the country, rebranded as Mi Watch Revolve. The smartwatch and several more IoT products are expected to be revealed at the company’s Smarter Living 2021 event on September 29.
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