Apple announced today that it plans to open its online store in India on September 23. The expansion will bring direct sales and an improved shopping experience to customers in the region for the first time.
Apple has made significant investments in India in recent years as it seeks to become a leader in a mass market full of potential. IPhones are now made in India and official Apple stores are on the way. Before opening any physical location, Apple is increasing its sales and distribution online.
Starting September 23, customers in India will be able to visit apple.com/in and shop directly from Apple, just as customers around the world have been waiting for decades. Tips and product guide will be available in English and Hindi. Until now, Apple’s sales in India have been directed entirely through partners such as Apple Premium Resellers.
In October, Apple says customers will be able to attend free Today at Apple sessions online with a focus on photography and music. Creative sessions are a staple of physical Apple Stores during non-pandemic times and will offer customers a preview of what to expect when the official Apple Stores open in India.
Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Retail + People, highlighted the expansion:
We are proud to expand in India and want to do everything we can to support our clients and their communities. We know that our users rely on technology to stay connected, engage in learning, and harness their creativity, and by bringing the Apple Store online to India, we are offering our customers the best of Apple at this important time.
In May, build-to-order Mac sales were opened through resellers in India ahead of the official launch of the online store. Tim Cook had promised in February that the online store would open this year. Physical Apple Stores in India will arrive in 2021, and one of the first locations is expected to be built in Mumbai ‘s Bandra Kurla complex.
One of the main hurdles that prevented Apple Store Online from launching earlier in India was a government rule that required foreign companies to source 30% of their production locally. The requirements were eventually relaxed, allowing Apple to move on.
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