In its most aggressive bid yet to solidify its presence in the Japanese market, Xiaomi revealed it plans to open 5 to 10 “Mi Home” physical stores in Japan by 2025. This foray is the next step towards the global growth plan for the technology giant, which aims to replicate its successful smart home ecosystem in one of the most competitive markets for consumer electronics in Asia. Currently the fifth most popular smartphone brand in Japan, Xiaomi hopes to leverage its retail presence to introduce Japanese consumers to its expansive product lineup, which goes far beyond the smartphone.
Early Store Locations
Xiaomi’s Japanese push is already underway with two confirmed store locations in Saitama Prefecture:
- First store: March 22 opening at Saitama City’s AEON MALL Urawa Misono (approx. 130 sq.m.).
- Second store: April 5 opening at Kawaguchi City’s AEON MALL Kawaguchi (about 100 square meters)
These initial stores are expected to attract 10,000 to 20,000 customers per month, with over 160 different Xiaomi products on show. After the temporary store at Shibuya PARCO proved to be so popular that it exceeded visitor and sales expectations, the next step was to open the first permanent stores.
Store layout and product focus
According to Zheng Yan, the VP at Xiaomi Japan, the stores will feature carefully planned layouts to display the integrated ecosystem of Xiaomi:
- Smartphones and smartwatches at the front entrances
- Wall-mounted TVs and robot vacuum cleaners that can be controlled by smart phones
- Some smart home devices demonstrating the integrated ecosystem of Xiaomi
Xiaomi wants to introduce its “smart home” business model to Japan, allowing customers to experience firsthand the interaction among the different products. It also wants to expand its product line to include more major home appliances such as air conditioners.
Future Growth Strategies
While the initial concentration is the Tokyo metropolitan area, the business is looking to expand nationally throughout all of Japan. This strategic move allows the business to offer its full ecosystem advantage rather than competing on stand-alone product categories.
The move reflects the belief by the company in the Japanese market and its resolve to make its innovative, value-based strategy available to more people worldwide.
Source: ITHome
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