Samsung is planning to open 15 premium experience stores across nine cities in India by the end of this year to increase the share of high-end products in its total sales. The Korean electronics giant has recently opened two premium stores in Bengaluru and Delhi, driven by the rising demand for its high-end products in brand stores.
Sumit Walia, Samsung India D2C Business Senior Director, informed PTI about the company’s aggressive expansion plans, stating, “We are going on a rampage to go on expanding. We will open 15 premium experience stores like we have in Connaught Place and Opera House across nine cities by the end of this year. This format will be able to tap into the premium segment.” Moving forward, Samsung will focus on opening 13 stores across nine cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, and Pune. The company currently has 1,700 brand stores across India.
Samsung opened its first premium experience store was opened at Opera House in Bengaluru, covering an area of around 33,000 square feet. The second store, located in Delhi’s Connaught Place, spans approximately 4,000 square feet. All premium experience stores will be operated by franchisees and will focus on premium products based on lifestyle categories such as work-from-home and living room scenarios.
Walia further explained the surge in demand for high-end products, saying, “We have seen the share of our premium product doubling to 60-62% at Samsung brand stores in the last 1.5-2 years. At the premium experience store in Bangalore, it has gone up to 80%. Customers now want more out of their product, which we can showcase at these premium experience stores.”
While Walia did not disclose the amount of investment required to open these stores, he shared that franchisee owners would hire field experts such as gaming specialists, chefs, and photographers for each unit. “The experts will be around half of the total workforce that each premium experience store will have,” he said.
The premium stores will house repair centers for mobile devices, while doorstep services will be provided for consumer electronics. This move aims to cater to the growing demand for high-quality services and convenience for customers who invest in Samsung’s high-end products.
