After dethroning Samsung to become the number one smartphone brand in the country, Xiaomi is getting ready to enter the TV and other consumer goods segments aggressively. After announcing a local partnership with Dixon Technologies, Xiaomi will be producing over 55,000 Mi Televisions locally per month.
Xiaomi has already committed to bringing in a number of consumer products from China to India. The company sells laptops, tablets, televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, air-conditioners and much more. Its range of offerings is a direct threat to Samsung, who enjoys a massive customer base in India.
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The Xiaomi Invasion
Xiaomi’s entry into the Indian television manufacturing sector has already been termed to be predatory by many industry experts. Up next, Xiaomi’s main target is to enter the non-smartphone segments with specially customised products to suit Indian conditions.
Xiaomi has taken up the first spot in the country’s smartphone industry within three years of operations, dislodging market leader Samsung.
Samsung sells a diverse range of products in the country including smartphones, televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners and more. But the three-and-a-half-year-old Chinese company has done enough damage to its South Korean counterpart with its products.
Samsung Dials Up Competition Against Xiaomi
Samsung has already announced to be making specifically India-made smartphones which will launch in the period of next twelve months. Apart from smartphones, the South Korean tech giant has also started to offer massive price cuts on its entry-level televisions.
The company has reduced the prices of its televisions by up to 20 per cent, mostly in the budget segment. Samsung is trying to take on the budget Xiaomi TVs, which have already experienced massive demand in the market.
The market already has several affordable televisions from TCL, Vu, Micromax and Kodak. But, Samsung had been dominating the market mostly. The recent entry of Xiaomi has changed the current dynamics and Samsung’s traditional position as an industry leader in the television manufacturing sector is at risk now, at least here in India.
Samsung Televisions Are Now Cheaper
The company has brought down the prices of its premium televisions to about 50-55 per cent of the original. The prices are down by almost the half, are on par with the prices of the similar TVs from the affordable brands.
Samsung Televisions are still expensive compared to the other options available in the market, but the price difference is minimal now.
Samsung’s Biggest Advantage – Wide Offline Availability
Coming to a proper supply chain and availability, Samsung will hold an absolute advantage over its affordable manufacturers. The wide offline availability of Samsung Televisions and other products are an added advantage for the company.
Xiaomi’s Mi TVs has seen a huge demand in the market and has been widely praised as well, but they are only available online. Also their limited availability and flash sale model makes its difficult for the buyers to purchase a Mi TV.
India still being a big offline market, Xiaomi will have to work on its offline presence to challenge Samsung.