To counter the same, some Mi Preferred partner stores are covering the front of the store with Mi logo and GSB boards with posters of rival brands such as samsung, Opposition, my true form, Vivo and others. Mi Preferred partner stores are all about selling only Xiaomi products to the buyers. This protest in a way indicates that if the concerns of the store owners are not addressed, they may start selling phones of rival brands as well.
Xiaomi had earlier claimed in a report in The Economic Times that the entire AIMRA campaign on allegations of “online bias” is an “attempt to defame Mi India and its employees”. It also said the campaign was “defamatory” and “derogatory”.
“MIPP (Mi Preferred Partner) is upset with Xiaomi’s policy of launching new models online, thus extending the leverage in the form of a special window period. Agitating to end restrictive trade practice. And support offline equally,” tweeted All India Mobile Retailers Association and tagged Sunil Baby– senior director of offline sales of the company.
@sunilbaby11 MIPP is upset with Xiaomi’s policy of launching new models online, thus increasing leverage in the form… https://t.co/jBSrSdnyNs
— All India Mobile Retailers Association (@AimraIndia) 1632041394000
The association claims that it wants equal opportunities for online and offline sellers. Store owners feel that if all new phones are sold online first, the store is less likely to gain any competitive edge by selling older models.
This is not the first time that Xiaomi store owners have voluntarily vandalized their storefronts. Last year, during the border conflict with China, some shops covered Mi GSB boards to deter unwanted attacks from locals boycotting Chinese brands. The owners feared that fringe groups might destroy their stores due to anti-China sentiment across the country.
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