Apple has largely struggled to get a foothold in India due to the heavy import duty fee it has to pay. The Indian government requires a percentage of products to be locally outsourced and as a result, Apple has begun assembling the iPhone XR in the Bengaluru city of India. But Apple is not stopping just there; it’s determined to win big in the country as more and more Indians get connected on the internet.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple said during a shareholders meeting that the company is planning to launch its online store in India soon. The plan initially was to have its official e-store up and running in the first quarter of 2020, however it has now been reported that the company is still working on getting the logistics right.
People with knowledge regarding the matter have said that Apple likes to do things perfectly and the slight delay will be used to get everything right. The plan is now to launch Apple’s online store sometime between July 2020 and September 2020. Some analysts think that the company could align the launch of its online store with the release of its next flagship iPhone in September of 2020.
Apple currently relies on third party sellers – both online and offline – to sell its products in India. However, with the release of its online store, the company could improve the sales of its products in the country by improving the logistics and adjusting the price of its products to the country.
Apple is also planning to launch its physical brick and mortar stores in India soon. The first store according to the company will be opened in Mumbai, possibly in early 2021. However, plans are already under way to open stores in other cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the near future.a
