A group of cellphone retailers have accused Chinese smartphone maker Oppo of engaging in “unfair business practices by limiting a product” to online platforms and “failing to honor its commitment to support proper distribution” at outlets. physical sales outlets, an official said Sunday. The Chinese mobile phone maker, however, blamed a global chip shortage for not being able to push sales at physical retail stores.

All India Mobile Retailers’ Association alleged that handset makers are “not providing a level playing field” for their members and planned to launch nationwide protests against “biased trading” practices.

“Restricting a product from the fraternity of mass distribution establishes an unfair and biased business practice with a huge threat of adverse impact on the national economy,” the association wrote to OPPO India President Elvis Zhou.

AIMRA represents 1.5 lakh retailers across the country.

“Despite your engagement, we have learned that the offer has remained exclusive to the ‘online-only retail marketplace’, which the mainstream retail industry views as an outright breach of trust and words,” AIMRA National President Arvinder Singh Khurana said in the letter. .

Head of smartphone maker (Modern Commerce and KA) Nitin Singh, however, said that Oppo India is engaging with its major retailers and trying to address supply issues resulting from the global chipset shortage situation and of raw materials.

The supply will improve by the end of April, Singh said.

“We are committed to our partners and major retailers and do our best to resolve the supply issue resulting from the global chipset and raw material shortage situation which has impacted the supply of K10 in the market. major.

“We will be supplying the K-series stock to our major club partners and retailers. Our new current F21 product is available in the Indian market and customer response has been very positive,” he told PTI.

If the Chinese smartphone maker “fails to play a level playing field”, the retail body will launch a nationwide protest and hunger strike, Khurana said.

AIMRA had sought government intervention for regulatory support to overcome the challenge.

“Today, we are present in every nook and corner of the country and able to extend our services to every customer nationwide. The retail industry can proudly assure you to provide better services to customers than online platforms,” ​​the retailers’ body said.

Singh said the mobile phone maker looks forward to continued support from retailers to provide better products and services to its customers in India.