It was supposed to be a Thank You tweet from Xiaomi, but instead it turned out to be a platform for fans to express how disappointed they were about the “low number” of Redmi Note 3 phones that were put up for sale today.
Fans were evidently upset that they couldn’t lay their hands on a Redmi Note at the end of the first flash sale for the device in India.
But more than the disappointment at not getting the device was perhaps their frustration at the company not revealing how many phones it actually sold or plans to sell every week.
These numbers help buyers decide whether to wait for the next flash sale or buy for an alternate model like the Lenovo K4 Note or LeTV Le 1s.
Most smartphones in India, including the recently launched LeTV Le 1s and K4 Note, tend to see a demand of between 1 to 2 lakh units initially. Even if 5 or 6 lakh people register for the first sale, normally it is only a couple of lakhs who turn up at the appointed time as many would have registered just in case.
In some cases, people register using multiple accounts and that of their relatives.
As a result, if a company is able to offer 50,000 units or more per month, each person has about a 50% chance of getting the phone within the first three weeks.
If, on the other hand, if a company is giving only 20,000 units per flash sale, it will take 2-3 months simply to meet the initial demand.
The problem with obviously value-for-money models like Redmi Note 3 is that as the sale progresses, demand continues to increase due to word of mouth. As the first one lakh units reach people’s homes and offices, others who see the phones decide they want one too.
As a result, demand remains firm for up to six months, as was seen in case of Lenovo A6000 Plus, which was still selling strong months after it was first introduced.
Since most people don’t want to wait for six months to get their phone, it becomes quite crucial for a consumer to know how many units are being sold per flash sale. Based on this, he can make an informed decision about whether to wait around for next week’s flash sale or whether the chances are so low that it would be better to buy another model.
In fact, Xiaomi has always revealed how many phones it sold after its recent flash sales, except in case of Mi3.
For example, when launched the Note 4G — its last truly successful model in India — it kept revealing how many units were sold at the end of each sale — and these ranged from 20,000 to 50,000.
As such, fans are quite disappointed that the company is not revealing its sales numbers for Redmi Note 3.
@RedmiIndia Yes ppl have no other work. Worst sale guys. Declare what would be available for sale. Don't hide the facts!
— Shreyas Bhagat (@shreyasbh8) March 9, 2016
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