OnePlus is a popular brand in India and this is not surprising as the country is one of its main markets. However, the availability of its phones is an issue that has plagued the brand, driven to some extent by OnePlus itself. Now the manufacturer can make it difficult for buyers to purchase phones on order, which it has issued to retail partners.
According to the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), OnePlus sent a letter to partners (offline) to stop online sales. Apparently, these stores started selling their wares online as the pandemic prevented shoppers from entering stores, which was supported by OnePlus. However, last week the Chinese manufacturer sent a letter to retailers asking them to stop selling online.
AIMRA President Arvinder Khurana said customers will continue to shop online as the pandemic has not yet ended and several thousand new cases are announced every day. He added that they approached OnePlus with a request to roll back their decision to ban sales in offline stores.
An Association of Organized Retailers, made up of 15 cell phone retail chains in South India, also wrote to OnePlus asking for a reconsideration. They also denounced OnePlus' tradition of making their phones exclusive to certain online partners and then making them available to other retail stores. The association stated that "the gap in availability of 10 to 15 days is attracting very little attention, hence a large loss of opportunity."
OnePlus spokesman said The Economic Timesthat they value their relationship with autonomous partners and recognize their role in OnePlus' success in the country. However, he did not say whether the order would be canceled or not.
