No more OnePlus stores? Brand moves online, expands service via OPPO

OnePlus India is making a big change in how it operates in the country. The company is moving away from offline retail and shifting focus towards online sales. At the same time, it is expanding its service network by using OPPO’s existing infrastructure. Also Read: OnePlus Nord CE 6 and Nord CE 6 Lite leaked ahead of launch; check everything to expect

This means two things happening together — fewer physical stores, but more service centres. Also Read: OnePlus Nord 6 launch price in India may beat Nord 5 cost

Offline stores being shut

OnePlus has reportedly asked most of its partner-run exclusive stores to shut down. These are the stores that handled sales in different cities. Once this is done, only a few company-owned outlets are expected to remain operational. Also Read: OPPO Find X9 Ultra may revive long-range zoom cameras: What we know

Distributors have also been told to clear their stock before a deadline, after which offline billing will stop. This is not a gradual shift. It is happening in a short window, which has raised concerns among retailers.

This also means upcoming products may not be easily available offline. Reports suggest future launches could be pushed mainly through online platforms.

Online-first approach

With this move, OnePlus is going back to a more online-focused model. The company is expected to rely on its own website and platforms like Amazon for sales of upcoming devices including the OnePlus Nord 6.

The reason behind this is fairly clear. Selling online reduces costs linked to distribution and retail margins. It also gives the company better control over pricing and inventory.

This is not new for OnePlus. The brand originally started as an online-first company, and this move looks like a return to that setup.

Service network expansion

At the same time, OnePlus is increasing its service reach. The number of service centres is going up from around 400 to over 600 across India.

Instead of building new centres from scratch, the company is using OPPO’s service network. This means OnePlus users will now be able to access service points in more locations, including smaller cities. The idea here is to make sure support does not get affected even if offline stores are reduced.

What is happening in the background

This shift comes around the same time as the exit of OnePlus India CEO Robin Liu. There have also been reports of internal changes across the larger group, which includes OPPO and Realme.

The focus seems to be on cutting overlap and making operations simpler, especially in markets like India.

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What changes for users

For buyers, the biggest change will be availability. Getting a OnePlus phone offline may not be as easy as before, and online channels will become the main option. On the other hand, service access should improve, as more centres are being added across cities.