Apple on Thursday announced its plans to open its online store in India, on Wednesday, September 23. Indian customers will now have a method available to order iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple products directly from the Cupertino firm.
The Apple Store online will feature online Apple Specialists available to help with ordering products. Customers can also get advice, receive guidance, and learn about new products directly from Apple, both in English and Hindi.
“We’re proud to be expanding in India and want to do all we can to support our customers and their communities,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People. “We know our users are relying on technology to stay connected, engage in learning, and tap into their creativity, and by bringing the Apple Store online to India, we are offering our customers the very best ofApple at this important time.”
The Apple Store online will offer financing options and an available trade-in program. Students can shop for a Mac or iPad with special pricing, and receive discounts on accessories and AppleCare+. Free online Today at Apple sessions led by local Creative Pros, focused on photography and music will begin in October.
To celebrate the festive season, signature gift wrap and personalized engraving will be available for select products. Engraving of emoji or text in English, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu will be available for AirPods, and English engraving will be available for iPad and Apple Pencil.
While Apple has long had a presence in India, all sales have been made through third-party resellers, due to the country’s restrictions imposed on foreign companies, requiring 30% of production to be done locally.
However, India relaxed those rules in 2019, allowing Apple to operate an online store in the country. Apple also has plans to open physical retail stores in the country in the future.
