Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi today announced its first ever exclusive offline retail outlet, the ‘Mi Home store’ in in Bengaluru, India. Xiaomi’s Managing Director for India, Manu Kumar Jain, said the next plans to launch similar Mi Home stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. The company plans to launch over 100 Mi Home stores across India in the next two years. Xiaomi said these stores represent Xiaomi’s “Internet+” and “new retail” approach, combining the Internet efficiency of e-commerce with the service and user experience of offline retail. However, Mi Home stores are Xiaomi’s exclusive offline retail stores that allow Mi customers to experience and purchase company’s latest products under one roof.
We plan to open 100 Mi Homes across India in the next 2 years. Come and say hi if you're in Bengaluru! #MiHome pic.twitter.com/aouVhGugqi
— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) May 11, 2017
“We are using the lessons learnt from operating a very successful and lean online channel to offline retail via our Mi Home stores. Mi Home stores are built on our Internet+ new retail concept, and will have efficiencies similar to the online channel.” said Manu Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi and Managing Director, Xiaomi India.
“Mi Fans will be able to browse and experience our products first-hand at their leisure, before making a purchase. Setting up offline stores will also help to make our products more readily available for buyers across the country.” Jain added.
The first Mi Home store was launched on Thursday in India, but it will open to public starting May 20, at 9am IST. Jain says that those people who want to shop at the Mi Home store will also have the option of register/pre-booking products via Mi.com. The pre-booking period will start from 5PM on May 16 and goes on till May 19. Further, if a particular product is out of stock at the Mi Home store, Xiaomi will give you an F-code, which can be redeemed in the online store to complete the purchase. This means you can buy Xiaomi’s any products without having to wait for a flash sale.
Announcing the first Mi Home in India & it's coming to Phoenix Market City, Bengaluru! Don't be a stranger & come say hi on 20th May #MiHome pic.twitter.com/nF7CZTJzS7
— Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) May 11, 2017
Located inside the city’s Phoenix Market City in Whitefield, Mi Home is a brick-and-mortar version of Xiaomi’s online e-commerce portal, where the Xiaomi’s own products will be showcased and purchased. The Mi Home Store will sell phone related accessories and products like power banks, earphones, VR head gears, Mi Band series fitness trackers, home appliances such as Mi Air 2, Mi ecosystem products, and much more, but it isn’t clear whether the Mi home store will sell Xiaomi’s smartphones immediately. Up till now, Xiaomi has been selling its phones and accessories via its own online stores and exclusive e-commerce retailer (partnership) in India. But now the Mi Home store will be a milestone of Xiaomi’s significant journey in the Indian tech market.
Xiaomi already operates around 80 Mi Home Stores in its home country, China and the company opened its first Mi Home Store outside China last October,2016 in Singapore. Xiaomi has also unveiled similar official retail stores in Hong Kong and Taiwan over the past few months.
