SHANGHAI, China—Motorola Inc. is hoping to expand its efforts in the burgeoning Chinese wireless market with a new flagship store in Shanghai.
The handset manufacturer said the new outlet is the first of four planned for China, and follows the launch of 50 smaller stores in the past few months. Motorola drew headlines last month with the opening of a flashy, high-tech store in the heart of Chicago’s upscale Magnificent Mile shopping district in the United States.
Each of the outlets in China is owned and operated by local, independent Motorola partners.
The stores “are designed to help consumers get more out of their Motorola products, beginning with an enhanced purchase experience and continuing throughout the time they own the tools for connection and communication,” said Jeremy Dale, Motorola’s vice president of retail marketing. “We believe that through personalized service, an innovative and engaging retail environment, and a broad presence of these stores in the market, we offer a truly seamless consumer experience and will drive overall sales.”
But while Motorola certainly hopes to drive revenues through its outlets, the effort is as much about brand-building as it is about retail revenues. Nokia Corp. also is working to increase its profile through brick-and-mortar locations. The company has established about three dozen “experience centers” in high-traffic retail locations in North America, allowing users to play with—but not purchase—Nokia products, and is building its own flagship stores in a handful of noted retail destinations worldwide.
