Xiaomi Partners with Big Bazaar To Sell Redmi Smartphones

Like its Chinese counterparts Oppo, Vivo, Gionee, Lenovo and Motorola, Xiaomi has been trying to enter into offline selling space lately. The company is one of the most trusted brands in the country and also among the top 3 smartphone sellers in India. Xiaomi is trying to expand their offline presence and has shifted their focus to setting up offline stores in that endeavour.

The company recently has set up several Mi Home stores across different cities in the country. Xiaomi is working extensively with their offline retail partners to sell their smartphones exclusively.

Online to Offline

Xiaomi is slowly entering into the offline space lately, and are working hard with the offline retailers to sell their smartphones and accessories through the respective channels. Brands like OnePlus and Xiaomi came to the country focusing exclusively on online sales, and have done extremely well on their dedicated online portals. But, majority of the phone market in India is still offline. To reach out to even more customers, brands are compelled to offer offline sales channels.

Partnership With Big Bazaar

Xiaomi already has set up a few of their Mi Home stores and has partnered with several retailers which has resulted in a steady presence in the offline market. But, the company now has partnered with retail major, Big Bazaar (the supermarket chain of Future Group has over 240 stores across India) to sell their bestsellers Redmi 4 and Redmi Note 4 offline exclusively. In the future, Xiaomi could expand their product portfolio by releasing more models offline through Big Bazaar.

25 Million Xiaomi Phones Sold in India in 3 Years!

With Xiaomi’s huge demand in the Indian market, it the right time for the company to widen their reach into the offline space. Xiaomi recently made headlines for shipping over 10 million smartphones in September globally. The company has sold over 25 million phones in the country in the last 3 years. This collaboration with Big Bazaar will surely be a key for their steady growth in the offline space.

Xiaomi’s Other Offline Partners

Apart from Big Bazaar, the company has several other exclusive offline partners which already sell Xiaomi phones. They include Sangeetha Mobiles, LOT, Big C, Univercell, E-Zone, Croma and Vijay Sales to name a few. It has recently opened it’s own chain of Mi Home stores in different Indian cities.

The Big Bazaar Advantage

Big Bazaar has over 240 stores across the country and Xiaomi is already an established and trusted brand, with a massive demand for its smartphones in the market. The partnership might work really well for both the players, with a combination of Biz Bazaar’s extensive presence and Xiaomi’s huge popularity.

A Potential Downside

The biggest disadvantage for Xiaomi is the availability of its phones. Due to massive demand, Xiaomi often fails to meet the supply, and as a result, many popular smartphones remain out of stock for the most of the time. If Xiaomi really wants to make full use of Big Bazaar’s wide reach, the Chinese manufacturer should ensure a steady supply of smartphones and make them easily available for its customers.

Special Launch Offer At Big Bazaar

The Redmi Note 4 and Redmi 4 will be available at special prices at Big Bazaar stores as a part of their launch offer. Additionally, customers can avail both these smartphones at no-cost EMI with Bajaj Finserv EMI card. There are also going to be special discounts and cashback offers on all ICICI Bank debit and credit cards.

Targeting 30% Sales From Offline Market

Shifting from the online model, the Chinese firm wants at least 30% of their total sales to happen offline by the end of this year. Presently, the offline market accounts for around 20% of sales for Xiaomi products in India. Rest of the sales which happen online, includes its own online marketplace Mi.com, which have doubled year-on-year.