Xiaomi said that it will launch an e-commerce service in India this week. So consumers who are blocked in India due to the epidemic can buy Xiaomi products from local retailers.
Muralikrishnan, chief operating officer of Xiaomi India, said the new service, called Mi Commerce, will enable consumers to browse online products and place orders at stores closer to home.
The service will be launched throughout India. And if successful, after the end of the outbreak and the lifting of the blockade order, Xiaomi’s service will continue.
The nationwide lockdown began on March 25 and has been extended until May 17, although there are some relaxations.
“We are (offering) business continuity in the offline trade, especially given the context that people will obviously be apprehensive about visiting offline stores because of concerns of safety, hygiene, virus spreading,” Muralikrishnan told journalists via a webcast.
According to market research company Counterpoint, in terms of sales volume, Xiaomi is the largest smartphone company in India, with a 30% market share in India. That’s way higher than that of South Korean Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
However, like other competitors, Xiaomi’s sales were hit during the epidemic blockade. Indian stores are closed and online sales are declining. And e-Commerce sites such as Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart have suspended sales of smartphones. They are aiming to focus on delivering household commodities.
Muralikrishnan told the media that the company maintained the continuity of the transaction business in this way. In fact, consumers were worried about being infected with viruses in physical stores.
Manu Jain, head of Xiaomi India, said the company will also provide working capital loans to its partners through its credit services.