Samsung not maintaining price parity for mid-range smartphones, allege offline mobile retailers

NEW DELHI: Mobile handset retailers have alleged that Korean handset maker Samsung is not maintaining price parity for certain mid-range M-series smartphones like M21 and M31 and is selling these devices at cheaper prices in the online channels, hampering offline retailers’ business.

The retailers have also requested Samsung to rethink the margin provided to offline retailers with the possibility of a minimum 5% margin, up from the existing 3%.

“We have already written to you regarding the preference of stocks in Offline trade, especially during times of COVID-19 when retailers have suffered immense losses due to the lockdown. We appeal to you to reposition your brand and restore the balance between online and offline partners,” Arvinder Khurana, national president of AIMRA said in a letter. “Samsung must rethink and maintain the same price for both channels.”