Apple's first online store in India to launch on September 23
The online store will offer the full range of products available from Apple and offer customer support directly for the first time as well. Prior to this, the company has relied on third party stores and authorised resellers to distribute its products in India.
Apple assembles some smartphones, including the iPhone 11, at Foxconn and Wistron's plants in two southern Indian states.
Earlier this week, Apple rolled out a virtual fitness service and a bundle of all its subscriptions, Apple One, focusing on services that are the backbone of Apple's growth strategy and that cater to customers working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We can't wait to connect with our customers and expand support in India with the Apple Store online on September 23!" "We know our users are relying on technology to stay connected, engage in learning, and tap into their creativity, and by bringing the Apple Store online to India, we are offering our customers the very best of Apple at this important time", said Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. The guidance will be offered in both Hindi and English.
Similar to coronavirus precautions taken in the USA and other countries, Apple Store orders in India will ship with contactless delivery. Bringing Apple Store Online to the world's second largest smartphone market is a big step forward in that direction. The online Apple Store will also be offering financing options as well as trade-in program, and will also be able to avail exclusive discounts on Apple products and services. Keeping in mind the festive season, a signature gift wrap and personalized engraving will be available for select products. A classic example is an Apple "specialist" helping a customer set up a new iPhone, or get relevant information on how to custom configure a Mac.
Engraving of emoji or text will be available in English, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu languages on AirPods, whereas engraving on iPad and Apple Pencil will be only available in English.
In October, customers will get free online Today at Apple sessions focused on photography and music, which will be led by local Creative Pros.