After a year of exclusivity to Amazon India, Microsoft’s Xbox One will be arriving at a variety of retailers over the coming months.
The Xbox One was released in India late last year, nearly 12 months after the initial rollout in 13 markets in 2013. Amazon India had a year of exclusivity with the console, being the only retailer distributing the Xbox One in India. Due to lukewarm reception of Microsoft"s previous console, Amazon partnered with certain retailers throughout the year so it could showcase the Xbox One. These experiences offered demos at local cyber-cafes or in select physical stores, alongside the opportunity to purchase them offline.
Although the exclusivity of the console for Amazon is coming to an end, the Xbox One won’t be available at all retailers just yet. Instead, the console will begin to sell at Microsoft"s own retail locations across the country. Distribution from other outlets is planned for a later date.
Earlier this spring, Microsoft began to re-brand Nokia stores to ‘Microsoft Priority Resellers’, across a range of countries. India was the first country to see this change, with many Nokia stores across the country still being adapted to this day. Bringing this product to Microsoft Stores and resellers, before its availability to other retailers shows that Microsoft are continuing to push the concept of these stores, and make them important locations to visit as a Microsoft consumer. Stocking items with limited availability gives another incentive to visit in-store.
Source: NDTV