With retail efforts largely being shuttered amid a global shutdown expected, OnePlus has confirmed that it is moving to an online-first focus in India. OnePlus confirmed in a media note that it will perform a “strategic pivot” to an online-first sales model in India. OnePlus has reportedly “asked partner-run exclusive stores across India to shut down” by March 31. Three OnePlus-owned stores in Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru are however, likely to remain operational. The upcoming Nord 6, though, would apparently be sold exclusively through Amazon in India.
Distributors in the general trade channel have also been given a deadline of March 31 as their final billing date. They have been asked to clear remaining inventory without any transition period, raising concerns about recovering outstanding credit.
Modern retail partners have also been informed that billing will pause for several weeks after March 31, with upcoming product launches—such as the Nord 6.
The company’s emphasis on expanding service centres is however intended to reassure customers amid the closure of offline retail channels. Under government regulations, OnePlus is required to provide service support for up to five years, even in the event of a complete operational shutdown. This obligation is expected to be fulfilled through Oppo’s service network, minimising additional investment.
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