Apple to Launch Online Store in India on September 23
Last updated June 16, 2021
- India will finally get an official Apple online store, coming with offers, events, and the full product range.
- The COVID-19 situation has forced Apple to take action, as physical store sales aren't getting back up any time soon.
- The local audience is eagerly waiting to see the product prices, but it's unlikely that we'll see dramatic drops.
Tim Cook has confirmed the launch of Apple's online store for India, and the date for the event was set to September 23, 2020. This is amazing news for the big Indian market and the large number of Apple fans who live there. Not only will people be able to buy stuff directly from Apple now, but they will also enjoy 1:1 free online sessions on how to use the products, unlock many payment options, take advantage of the "AppleCare+" availability, and even attend special events.
We know how important it is for our customers to stay in touch with those they love and the world around them. We can’t wait to connect with our customers and expand support in India with the Apple Store online on September 23! 🇮🇳https://t.co/UjR31jzEaY
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 18, 2020
Apple says the India store will offer the full range of its products, direct customer support in Hindi and English, trade-in programs, and special pricing offers for students. Moreover, in October, Apple will hold a special session for the local audience where creative professionals will share music creation and photography tips and tricks.
For select products, customers will be able to use a signature gift wrap and personalized engraving in English, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu. The AirPods were confirmed to support the engraving option, while the iPad and Apple Pencil will also offer it but only in English.
The question on everyone's lips is, what will happen with the prices of Apple's products. People are hoping for a drop, as premium resellers who are currently contracted by Apple to sell its products in India are setting the price way higher than in other countries. This, however, isn't due to huge profit margins, but because of the import taxes in India. That said, the only way to see a drop that will bring the prices to the same level as in the USA is to produce iPhones and iPads in India. As we analyzed last month, this is another plan that is running in parallel, but no timelines have been officially announced.
Source: Worldometers.info
Apple's move to launch an online store in India is directly related to the COVID-19 situation that has had a severe impact on physical store sales. India is currently going through very rough times of infection rates culmination, so the prospect for the foreseeable future wasn't positive. This is also mentioned in the announcement, saying that all orders will ship with contactless delivery, while those that don't need a signature will be left at the customer's door. Those that do need a signature will be processed via verbal confirmation from a safe distance.
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