OnePlus Tests Offline Strategy To Drive Growth In India

Till now, Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus sold its products only through online channels in India. That will change as the company looks to boost its offline presence.

OnePlus, which competes with Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. in the premium smartphone segment, plans to set up four offline experience centres and six authorized stores in the country by the year-end, the company said.

“The offline presence will now complement the online presence,” Vikas Agarwal, general manager of OnePlus India, told BloombergQuint. “Right now, we are constrained by our online penetration.”

According to Hong Kong-based tracker Counterpoint Research, Shenzhen-based OnePlus emerged as the leader for the first time in the Rs 30,000-plus segment in the April-June quarter with 40 percent share.

“The premium smartphone segment is estimated to grow faster than the overall smartphone market in India for the current year and beyond,” said Karn Chauhan, research analyst with Counterpoint Research. “In the coming quarters, competition is going to increase for players like OnePlus, Apple and Samsung.”