Kevin Bostic
In light of the company's recent successes in the country, Apple reportedly plans to dramatically increase its reseller footprint in India growing its presence in the country to more than 200 locations by 2015.
Image via Indoan.ru
The details come from India's Economic Times, which reported Tuesday on Apple's plans to increase its Indian presence, apparently confirmed by three unnamed Apple franchisees. The report indicated that Apple will increase the number of "exclusive stores," which are known as Apple Premium Resellers.
While India is an increasingly important market for Apple, the iPhone maker has no Apple retail locations in the country. This is due in part to government mandates that single-brand stores source 30 percent of the goods they sell from local Indian vendors.
As Apple manufactures none of its products in India, the company is instead instructing its resellers to bring their locations up to Apple's global retail specifications. This will include altering the design of the reseller locations, and Apple is reportedly sending in global suppliers to fit out the stores in the company's signature glass decor. Apple will, reportedly, be reimbursing reseller franchise owners for the cost to upgrade.
In addition to the retail outlet upgrade, Apple will considerably expand its reseller operations. By 2015, according to reseller franchise sources, Apple aims to have more than 200 reseller locations in the world's second-most populous country. Currently, Apple sells through around 65 exclusive stores in India.
Reliance Retail, Apple's largest premium seller in the country, says it is looking at several properties for Apple stores. To improve the consumer experience, Reliance executives say the new stores will be based on the designs of Apple's "best stores internationally."
Apple's iPhone is currently in second place in the Indian smartphone market, with its 15.6 percent revenue share lagging far behind Samsung's 38.8 percent share. Acknowledging India as an important market, Apple has introduced payment plans, as the company did in China, to make its devices more affordable to that market.
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15 Comments
India will become the biggest customer for Apple. Even though Apple (and retailers) does not have many stores, you can see iPhones a lot. That is because of the traffic of outsourced people who travel between Indian and other countries. Now, if Apple starts their chain and joins retailers, it is going to become huge market for Apple. Definitely Indians buy Apple iPhones. More iPhone. As there is no direct buying from Stores, people are going for dirty Samsung and Nokia.
Good going Apple. And, as Indians are more educated, certainly, than China - Indian will be able to appreciate Apple products.
They better get those Apple like stores in India soon! There people are all about show off. Once the trend begins even people who works on the roadside will get (or dream about getting in future) the older iphone models and ipads!
But, the iStore (Reliance's Apple store) shown in the picture is not at all good.
India has really really really better iStores in Hyderabad, Bangalore and New Delhi Etc.
They better get those Apple like stores in India soon! There people are all about show off. Once the trend begins even people who works on the roadside will get (or dream about getting in future) the older iphone models and ipads!
Indians are not that far from Technology or Electronics. People have to pity you that still you are delusional and certainly living in decades past.
Apple's sheer growth potential in India and China is Samsung's worst nightmare.