Here are three reasons that may have helped Xiaomi in achieving the milestone in a short span of time, especially when it is just a eight years young appliances and consumer electronics brand
China based Xiaomi has announced that it has shipped more than one million Mi LED TVs in India during last nine months. These figures include Mi LED TV variants sold across all platforms.
Counted one among the youngest electronic appliance companies to have achieved this milestone in a short span of time, Xiaomi India has really made a mark in the consumer LED TV segment. We look at top three reasons that may have helped Xiaomi ‘ace’ the LED TV segment in the country.
The small price and big features factor
Xiamoi has priced its Mi Smart LED TV range aggressively in India. The 43-inches Mi LED Smart TV 4A is currently retailing for Rs 21,999 on a popular Indian e-commerce portal whereas its 32 inch variant, also one of the bestsellers, is available at Rs 13,999. These TVs support Full HD format. In comparison, Full HD smart LED TVs from Indian players like Micromax are available at a much higher price. The same portal has listed 40-inches Micromax Full HD LED smart TV at Rs 30,500 while Micromax 32-inches HD ready LED smart TV at Rs 18,149.
It’s worth mentioning here that re-sellers and distributors are only able to offer electronic products at lower prices only when they are backed by the manufacturer in terms of dealer discounts or incentive schemes. It is also to be noted that while most brands are offering only HD Ready LED TVs in the 10,000 to 25,000 price segment, Xiaomi has offered consumers with not only Full HD LED TVs but has also made the whole LED TV range smart.
Ankit Chaudhary who is a re-seller of Mi smart LED TVs in Delhi said, “If a consumer is out in the market to purchase a premium brand 32-inch smart LED TV, he will most definitely end up paying more than Rs 30,000, whereas a 32-inch Xiaomi LED smart TV will only cost him approximately Rs 14,000. The best part in selling Xiaomi LED TVs is that it creates a win-win situation for us re-sellers and consumers too. The only drawback is – we cannot negotiate on the price part as Mi LED TVs are already priced so economically.”
Brand penetration and trust
Xiaomi has been able to penetrate Indian consumer market with its presence through smartphones and fitness bands. Thanks to its strategy of making smartphones with premium features available at low costs and brilliant service network, consumers in India have really developed a liking for Xiaomi’s range of consumer electronic products.
The point to be noted here is the fact that this large scale brand penetration through smartphones has really helped Xiaomi in utilising the consumer trust for selling its range of smart LED TVs.
Arvind Chauhan, an Indian consumer who uses a Xiaomi smartphone and has recently installed a Xiaomi 55 inch smart LED TV in his home, said” I was using a Xiaomi smartphone from last seven months and was really intrigued by its performance and features. What made me go for the Mi brand LED Smart TV is low price and customer support. I believe that if a company can sell good smartphones at lower prices it can do the same with its LED TVs.”
He further added, “I strongly believe that Xiaomi as a brand can be fully trusted.”
Marketing, branding and PR skills
Xiaomi India has focused on creating marketing strategies that create brand awareness instead of promoting particular products. Even their ads in newspapers, online portals and social media channels carry hints of Xiaomi’s capability as a brand, instead of promoting products. What has this approach done for them is it has created a niche for the name ‘Mi’ in minds of consumers.
Another strategy that ticked Mi grow as a brand in India is the concept of Flash Sales. In fact, Xiaomi was the first electronics manufacturer to offer its product under ‘Flash Sales’ in India. It partnered with a popular Indian e-commerce portal and organised flash sales, where its products got sold under minutes. The idea took off among users as everyone wanted to be among the first ones to own Mi branded products.
Saurabh Uboweja, CEO, Brands of Desire, explains, “Xiaomi has a strong community of Mi users in India that enables the brand to reach out with ease every time they launch a new product. Considering that Xiaomi LED TV is among the thinnest and most attractive LEDs ,but is still not available for buying creates automatic hype. Word of mouth travels from one Mi consumer to another before reaching non-Mi users. Then comes the launch of same LED TVs that are not only smart, ridiculously thin & beautiful, but are also priced very economically. An Mi user, in this case will most definitely get inclined towards buying one and he will also advertise the new LED TV in front of his friends and family.”
Xiaomi also puts traditional PR in use better than many other consumer electronic brands. Its product launches precede events and news that create hype for the products and follow coverage by leading media houses.
