Xiaomi Launches ‘Mi Store on Wheels’ Retail Stores to Reach Users in Rural India

Sep. 21, 2020

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown conditions across India, Xiaomi has come up with innovative solutions to reach new users. The companyfirst debutedthe ‘Mi Commerce’ website earlier in May to give its offline retailers a platform to sell the products directly to consumers online. And now, Xiaomi has decided toexpand its offline footprintwith the launch of ‘Mi Store on Wheels’ in India.

As the name and the images suggest, Xiaomi has converted a mini loader truck into amoving mobile phone store. This will allow the company to reach your home and give consumers a chance to buy new Xiaomi phones even under lockdown restrictions. The negligence of the citizens and therapidly rising number of COVID-19 casesis still keeping many of us restricted to our homes.

Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain, in an official tweet, says that ‘Mi Store on wheels’ is designed to bring the whole retail experience to the heart of India. The Chinese giant is planning to reach villages and rural areas with this initiative. It is said to have been brain-stormed and put into action within just 40 days, as per Jain’s tweet below.

Xiaomi executives have shared a number of photos of the ‘Mi Store on Wheels’ and it resembles any other pop-up food truck that you may find at your street’s corner. This one, however, seems to not only sell the company’s latest phones including theRedmi Note 9andRedmi 9series. It also makes available IoT and lifestyle products, such as theMi TV Box 4K,Mi TV Stick,Mi Trimmer 1C, and a lot more.

If you are someone who’s made fitness a priority during the lockdown, thenMi Band 4andRedmi Earbuds Scan also be bought via this mobile store. Xiaomi will make sure to follow all necessary hygience and safety practices, while ensuring buyers at mobile vans maintain social distancing to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

Now, the most obvious question that many of you may have — In what all cities is the ‘Mi Store of Wheels’ being launched? Well, to start with, the company ispiloting the project in ‘Mahsamund’ district in Chhattisgarh. The van will start with Basna (population – around 13,000) and go from one city to another in search of prospective buyers. What’s more, Mi Store on wheels will collect feedback for what products users want to buy and return with those in tow during the next run through their city.

Overall though, the idea to bring its devices to consumers, who are stuck at home due to lockdown restrictions or inherent fear of the virus, via mobile vans is commendable.