Apple Tentatively Approves Plans to Expand Reseller Network in India with 500 New Stores

MacRumors · Dec 5, 2014

Apple will expand its retail operations in India with 500 new stores that see the company's reseller network moving into smaller towns and cities, according to a new report from The Times of India (via iPhone Hacks). The new locations will be done in collaboration with longtime distribution partners Redington and Ingram, and the stores themselves are said to be "smaller in size" and could range from 300-600 square feet. Apple is said to be in favor of adopting a franchise model for these stores, and is expected to increase spending for direct advertising in India.

"All this will change now. The company is finalizing plans to become a serious player in India, which is being seen as a strategic and one of the most promising markets globally," a top company source told TOI.

Sources said the company feels that there is "very high" potential for its products, including in smaller towns and cities like Amritsar, Pathankot, Moga, Coimbatore, Trichy, Nagpur and Nasik. Currently, the company is big in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai. "We are amazed at the purchasing power in smaller towns. The primary objective is to give a better and proper experience with adequate product demonstration," another source added.

Plans for the expansion have been tentatively approved by Apple and are expected to be fully defined soon. Previously, a report last October shared similar information about the company's plans in India, although that report said that the company would build 100 exclusive standalone stores under the franchise model in smaller markets. That move was expected to be finished by the end of the fiscal year, however it appears that the company is finally gearing up to approve new reseller outlets in the region. While the company ships to India, Apple notably does not have any Apple Retail Stores of its own in the country. Sales of phones in India are dominated by rival Samsung, although iPhone sales did increase by 400% year-on-year in 2013.

Article Link: Apple Tentatively Approves Plans to Expand Reseller Network in India with 500 New Stores

Sirious · Dec 5, 2014

iStore lol

markyr17 · Dec 5, 2014

This is huge for apple

keysofanxiety · Dec 5, 2014

I wonder what Apple will look like in a decade from now. It's frightening to consider how quickly they've grown since 2004.

Hopefully here's to another 10 great years. :apple:

Glassed Silver · Dec 5, 2014

keysofanxiety said:
I wonder what Apple will look like in a decade from now. It's frightening to consider how quickly they've grown since 2004.

Hopefully here's to another 10 great years.

It's easy to see: they are becoming way too confident about what they can and should do.
Either they learn the hard way or they reality-check themselves sooner or later.
If they do neither, unluckily it won't bite them much in the midterm.

Glassed Silver:mac

FriednTested · Dec 5, 2014

Till apple gets their direct stores here I'll keep ordering my apple stuff from USA or Canada..

Reliance are a bunch of thieves and the other main reseller, imagine, are a bunch of retards... There's a third reseller maples but, they do not have much presence...

----------

Glassed Silver said:
It's easy to see: they are becoming way too confident about what they can and should do.
Either they learn the hard way or they reality-check themselves sooner or later.
If they do neither, unluckily it won't bite them much in the midterm.

Glassed Silver:mac

With the launch of larger iphones I'm relieved they aren't as stubborn as RIM.. Although I think that 4.3 is tthe ultimate size for a phone.. M

saintforlife · Dec 5, 2014

They should just go ahead and launch official Apple stores at the big metropolitan cities - Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Madras and Calcutta. The amount of disposable income among the younger trending people in the cities is just incredible and those people will be willing to pay the Apple 'premium'. I think people will pleasantly surprised at the sales in India if Apple decides to go all-in in that country and treat it like a western country instead of playing around with these franchise stores.

blueroom · Dec 5, 2014

What's that on the ground near the entrance? Food?

iJandro · Dec 5, 2014

When I worked at the Apple Store in college, every airhead called the Apple Store the "iStore" where they bought there "iTouch"

mozumder · Dec 5, 2014

FriednTested said:
Till apple gets their direct stores here I'll keep ordering my apple stuff from USA or Canada..

Reliance are a bunch of thieves and the other main reseller, imagine, are a bunch of retards... There's a third reseller maples but, they do not have much presence...

Apple is never going to have their own stores in India.

India is far too corrupt for Apple to do business directly there. All the government officials there know Apple is money, and they want a part of it, but Apple isn't going to pay some craptacular government official a certain percentage of their profits to have their own stores there.

kshitijshah · Dec 6, 2014

mozumder said:
Apple is never going to have their own stores in India.

India is far too corrupt for Apple to do business directly there. All the government officials there know Apple is money, and they want a part of it, but Apple isn't going to pay some craptacular government official a certain percentage of their profits to have their own stores there.

Yeah right. That's exactly why they don't have their own stores in Sweden too. Every large retailer including Amazon has set up in India despite the regulations wanting a slice of the massive pie.

Nevaborn · Dec 6, 2014

We have an iStore. It is such a pointless thing as they are not even allowed to handle repairs or troubleshoot iPhones.

Would rather travel an hour to a real Apple store.

Kroner · Dec 6, 2014

kshitijshah said:
Yeah right. That's exactly why they don't have their own stores in Sweden too. Every large retailer including Amazon has set up in India despite the regulations wanting a slice of the massive pie.

Perhaps I am missing something, but aren't these Apple Stores in Sweden?

bommai · Dec 6, 2014

I was recently in ChennI and Bengaluru in India. There are several stores selling apple products, including Mac pro. A lot more iPhones around than before.

FriednTested · Dec 9, 2014

mozumder said:
Apple is never going to have their own stores in India.

India is far too corrupt for Apple to do business directly there. All the government officials there know Apple is money, and they want a part of it, but Apple isn't going to pay some craptacular government official a certain percentage of their profits to have their own stores there.

Lol... ok... Yea other countries governments are totally pure...

Yea and all other major corporates around the world are coming in by paying the craptacular government a certain percentage... You are so clever and well informed indeed...

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