As Apple opens its first outlet in India, a look at other new experience stores in the country

But the iPhone maker is not alone in its quest to offer a better shopping experience. It’s joined by the likes of PlayStation and Alienware. In this article, we explore some of the newest and upcoming experience stores in the country.

Apple BKC (Mumbai)

iPhones on display at the new Mumbai store (Image: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

Apple BKC is the first Apple Store in India, located in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex. The store will open on April 18 and will be a cross between a retail store and an education center, which Apple likes to call a “Town Square.” Like other Apple flagship stores, this one will include the Genius Bar, an experience designed for technical support service. Apple will also offer educational workshops and events, including sessions for photography, music, gaming, and app development.

But what makes the store stand out is its triangular handcrafted timber ceiling made of 450,000 individual timber elements, all of which were assembled in Delhi.

Apple Saket (Delhi)

Apple Store Saket is the first Apple retail store in Delhi and the second in India. It will open on April 20 at Select Citywalk Mall in Saket. The store will showcase Apple’s latest products and services, and offer creative sessions and support to customers. The store’s design is inspired by Delhi’s many gates and symbolises a new chapter for the city and the company.

Funnily, according to a MoneyControl report, Apple is paying almost the same amount of rent as the Mumbai store for the Delhi Store, despite the former having more than double the area. The tech firm is shelling out 40 lakh per month for the Delhi store and 42 lakh per month for the Mumbai store.

PlayStation Store (Delhi)

Sony has launched its first PlayStation-exclusive store in India in Delhi, reportedly in partnership with a third-party retailer DT Zone. The store will offer PlayStation fans a wide range of products, including PS5, PS4, PS VR2, games, accessories and services. The store is part of Sony’s efforts to expand its presence and reach in the Indian gaming market, which is one of the fastest growing in the world.

The store features the PlayStation 5’s signature blue and white theme with elements on the roof inspired by its controller’s Square, Triangle, X, and O buttons.

Alienware Store (Delhi)

Dell Technologies and Alienware have launched their first gaming experience store in India, located in Nehru Place, New Delhi. It aims to provide an immersive and interactive gaming experience for gamers and enthusiasts. The store features a “Battle Zone” where gamers can test-drive the latest Alienware devices, a “Browse and Explore” section where visitors can check out various Dell gaming products, and an “Accessories Zone” where they can find other Alienware peripherals.

The store is designed with a metallic style and Alienware elements that create a futuristic and extraterrestrial vibe. The store is open for free walk-ins and also hosts e-sports game leagues and community events.

Samsung’s new experience stores

While Samsung has thousands of outlets in India, only two of those are experience stores. The company is looking to change that – 13 more experience stores are planned to open in India by the end of this year across 9 cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune.

Samsung’s Opera House Bangalore outlet, the company’s 1 of 2 experience stores in the country (Image: Samsung)

The news was broken by Sumit Walia, head of corporate marketing, Samsung India, who added that these plans are a result of an increase in sales of the company’s high-end products through its premium stores. Walia said that all these stores will be operated by franchises, where franchise owners will hire field experts like gaming specialists, chefs, and photographers at each unit.