OnePlus has angered retailers in India – the Organized Retailers Association (ORA) represents 4,300 brick and mortar stores and it announced that it would ban its members from selling OnePlus products from May 1. And this might be just the tip of the iceberg.
The much larger All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), which represents more than 150,000 stores, is considering a similar ban. What did OnePlus do to upset store owners?
The retailers accuse the phone maker of not supplying enough stocks, giving them poor margins, not handling service claims properly and not engaging the retailers with visits from promoters and people demoing the new products.
While ORA represents stores in southern India, AIMRA has a much wider reach. If this association throws its weight behind the ORA ban, it could completely cut off OnePlus from the offline distribution channels in India.
OnePlus spokesperson told India Today:
OnePlus values all the support it has received from our trusted retail partners in the last 7 years. At present, we are working with our partners to address the areas highlighted, ensuring our continued commitment to a strong and prosperous relationship going forward.
OnePlus is not the only one in trouble, AIMRA is also pressing Poco as it feels that the Xiaomi-owned brand is favoring online sales and is even accusing it of selling through illegitimate channels.
