In a significant blow to OnePlus, major retail chains across India have decided to stop selling the brand’s smartphones, tablets, and wearables starting May 1st, 2024. The decision was made by the South Indian Organised Retailers Association (ORA), which represents 23 retail chains including Poorvika, Sangeetha, Big C, and Pooja, primarily in the Southern and Western regions of the country.
According to the letter sent by Sridhar TS, the president of ORA, to OnePlus India’s director of sales, Ranjeet Singh, the association has encountered “significant obstacles” in selling OnePlus products over the past year. These issues remain unresolved and include narrow profit margins, delays in claim processing, and bundling requirements.
“ORA painfully wishes to inform our collective decision to halt the retail of OnePlus products in our establishments from 1st May, 2024,” the letter stated, highlighting the association’s frustration with the ongoing challenges in their collaboration with the smartphone brand.
The decision to discontinue OnePlus product sales will impact over 4,500 stores across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. This move is a significant setback for OnePlus, which has been aggressively expanding its offline presence in the Indian market.
The development comes at a time when OnePlus is gearing up for the launch of its highly anticipated flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 12, later this year. The brand’s ability to maintain a strong retail presence and reach a wider consumer base will be crucial in its continued growth and competition with other leading smartphone players in the country.
