From 4,000 to 6,000 partners in 6 months

That is the goal that Microsoft's entertainment and devices division had set
for itself this year. This division is responsible for the sale of its hardware
peripheral products like keyboards and mice, and is also the retail front facing
arm for its gaming products.

Currently, the company has close to 4,000 partners all over India, comprising
large format retail (LFR) outlets as well as consumer electronics (CE) and IT
retail shops. With a key thrust to increase its geographical base this year, the
company wants to add more partners to its network. Talking about this Ashim
Mathur, National Marketing Manager-Entertainment and Devices Division, Microsoft
India said, “We are already present in 70 cities in India. Now we want to
establish ourselves in at least 100 cities in this quarter.” But he is clear
that he is seeking to work with partners who attract the premium customers who
do not mind paying more for quality products and good service. “We offer three
years warranty on our products unlike other vendors, so even if our products are
priced slightly over that of other brands, customers need to be educated on the
benefits they will enjoy in terms of post-sales support,” Mathur added.

For this particular product, the company will continue to concentrate on LFRs
and CE outlets than the IT retail outlets, because customers need to touch and
feel the product before making a purchase decision.