Now, buy Xiaomi smartphones from a machine; here is how

In a first, Xiaomi has introduced vending machines across country which will allow consumers and Mi Fans to purchase Xiaomi smartphones and mobile accessories directly. Named Mi Express Kiosks, these machines are part of Xiaomi's Mi Express Kiosk initiative and accept all forms of payments across credit cards, debit cards, cash and UPI, making it a highly convenient and hassle-free form of purchase for customers. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer believes that these machines will help it to reach out to customers directly, eliminating operational and cost inefficiencies.

The company believes that this would also allow it to provide its latest smartphones to its Mi Fans at an honest pricing, similar to that of Mi Homes and Mi.com. 

"Xiaomi India is the first ever brand in the Indian tech industry to introduce this innovative retail model, which also offers the efficiency of e-commerce business making it a cost-effective approach and is scalable. All technology equipping Mi Express Kiosks has been researched and developed in India, further extending the brand’s commitment to India," the company said in a statement. 

As of now, the Mi Express Kiosks have been installed in metro cities in public areas with greater footfall such as tech parks, metro stations, airports, and shopping malls. But, Xiaomi plans to set up several more kiosks in the coming months and gradually expand the retail plan across more cities. 

"Mi Express Kiosks serve as a highly effective New Retail initiative for consumers and Mi Fans to easily access and buy Xiaomi products instantly in offline markets. Furthermore, Mi Express Kiosks will soon be installed throughout the metro cities and customers can also easily access information on the locations of these kiosks on mi.com," the statement added.