Own stores may help Oppo counter competition

Oppo is the secondChinese brand after Xiaomi to secure single-brand retail licence

Setting up of company-owned retail stores may prove to be vital for Chinese handset maker Oppo’s survival in the highly competitive smartphone market in India. The firm, which recently received clearance from the Foreign Investment Facilitation Portal (FIFP), may now divert some of its funds towards building a strong, controlled retail distribution set-up, rather than spending heavily on incentives to its trade partners.
 
While Oppo joins its Chinese rival Xiaomi in becoming the second handset firm from the neighbouring country to secure a single-brand retail licence, its implications could exceed the obvious benefit of having branded stores. The firm