iPhones by Apple will now cost same both– online and offline

The variations in the prices of iPhones sold in brick-and-mortar stores and online marketplaces in India may narrow as distributors move to a uniform pricing structure across the country. The move was triggered by flagging offline sales of iPhones and comes ahead of a proposed launch of Apple’s own stores in the country, which is intended to become its primary revenue driver, revealed Apple India.

The chief executive of a leading cellphone retail chain said, “The poor sales of iPhone SE in India have further accelerated the move of Apple to push for uniform pricing structure. Even offline sales of iPhones had taken a hit due to the huge online discounting, which Apple headquarters has not taken in good spirit and hence the company now wants to correct and bring about a common pricing,”

Apple’s rival Samsung Electronics was the first to move to uniform pricing across offline and online stores. This, executives said, also eventually helped Samsung to gain overall share in the fiercely competitive Indian smartphone market. The tech giant has four distributors in India – Ingram Micro, Redington, Beetel-Brightstar and Rashi Peripherals. Senior Apple India executives are said to have already informed leading retailers and trade partners about the move to bring back pricing parity for iPhones.

In response to ET’s query, Apple said the company does not control prices and there has been no change in maximum retail prices. “It is wholly incorrect for your line of questioning to assert that Apple has communicated any pricing change,” the company said