It’s official: Xiaomi is looking to enter the lucrative but evasive western smartphone market. The company however is keen on taking baby steps; after announcing a direct-to-consumer online store for the US market (which opens shop later this year), the fast-growing Chinese company is now looking to do something similar in European markets.
According to company VP and international face Hugo Barra, Xiaomi will “sell a small number of itsĀ hero accessories” in Europe, direct via Mi.com. These ‘hero accessories’ include the Xiaomi power banks which everyone has taken a liking to, the Mi Band, which happens to be an entry-level wearable, and then their earphones and studio-grade headphones.
Here’s what Hugo had to say about the development:
Gizchina News of the week
Other than the aforesaid, Barra also added that plans of entering the US market (with smartphones) is “nowhere near the top of Xiaomi’sĀ priority for now”. Guess US buyers will have to rely on resellers for their dose of Xiaomi.Ā This comes just days after Xiaomi said that it would take action against illegal resellers that often try to mislead buyers.
[Source, Via]
It’s better than nothing, hopefully these items cost about the same as in China. Even if you consider tax in Europe (around 20%), then it is still cheaper than what resellers are asking for these accesoires.
I’d say they’re doing this just to build brand awareness abroad more than anything.
Those headphones look great.
I got mine recently from iBuyGou – not as cheap as advertised here due to 25$ DHL delivery. but they are amazing – sound great and super comfortable.
do we know roughly when this will go live?
That’s good news! One step at a time.
Hopefully the prices will be china prices + 20% VAT + a small delivery fee and nothing more.
I.e. if we were to translate the prices to GBP from RMB at (Ā£1 = 10 RMB, I know that RMB has appreciated compared to GBP right now so it’s more closer to Ā£1 = 9.57 RMB) then we’re looking at:
Headphones – 499 RMB = ~Ā£60
Pistons – 99 RMB = ~Ā£12
MiBand – 79 RMB = ~Ā£10
Router – 699RMB = ~Ā£72
Yi Action Camera – 399 RMB = ~Ā£48
16000mAh Power Bank – 129 RMB = ~Ā£16
10400mAh Power Bank – 69 RMB = ~Ā£9
5000mAh Power Bank – 49 RMB = ~Ā£6
These are still really good prices and I’d be happy to pay these prices!
wow, xiaomi make me a fan of it’s brand. love pistons. want those headphones for the home and some a little more advanced wearable . heart-rate and basic display.
I have worked in marketing most of my adult life and have done this with several brands across several product categories. It is very popular with automobile manufacturers, before you begin to sell a brand in a certain country you set up pop up shops and booths at trade shoes selling anything with your brand name on it. Sometimes people don’t even know what the product is but they have been so saturated with that brand name that when you do release the product they are the first in line to buy it.