New Way to sign distributor deal to bring Xiaomi devices to UK

Xiaomi is the world’s fourth biggest manufacturer with a 5.6 per cent share of the global market

New Way International is to become the first UK distributor to hold a direct partnership with Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi to supply its smartphones to the UK market.

Xiaomi, the world’s fourth biggest smartphone manufacturer (5.6 per cent share) with 34.5 million sales between January and June, has teamed up with the Feltham-based firm as its looks to expand beyond its home market.

New Way, also an official distributor for Huawei handsets in the UK, will receive stock from Xiaomi’s recently appointed global distributor Esense for supply to the UK market.

Hugely recognised

New Way International managing director Nigel Prince is confident the distributor can help Xiaomi, valued at $40 billion, become a success in the UK and claimed the devices are comparable in quality to those from the likes of Samsung and Apple.

“Xiaomi is already a hugely recognised brand in the Far East. Not everyone has £700 to spend on a phone. Why spend that much money on a phone when you can pay half the price and get a phone that’s just as good.

“They’ve got some good products and that’s why they’ve made significant steps in the Far East. We need to get the product more widely known and we’re confident this can help Xiaomi follow in the footsteps of Apple and Samsung. People forget Apple and Samsung started from nowhere.”

Prince claims larger distributors, such as Brightstar and Data Select, were overlooked by Xiaomi for supply to the UK as a result of its “hands on” approach with Chinese rival Huawei, with Prince claiming to be shipping on average 10,000 units every month to the UK market as well as working closely on joint
marketing campaigns.

Prince claims New Way has invested more than £40,000 in print and online marketing to help boost sales of Huawei products since agreeing a deal in February 2015.

Examples include paying for a stand in London’s Chinatown during the Chinese New Year Celebrations in February, which included promotions of the P8 and P8 Lite smartphones.

“The likes of Brightstar or Tech Data aren’t going to be so hands-on with Huawei or Xiaomi. We’re unique in the way we directly produce the UK marketing for them. That’s the way we’re going to help get the product more widely known outside of the Far East.”

original article Mobile News Online
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