The outlook for smartphone retail: do the stores align for operators and consumers?

The pandemic has accelerated changes in retail strategies across nearly every industry. Mobile operators are no exception. Within this evolution of retail, one particular dynamic deserves attention: how and where consumers purchase their smartphones – in-store, at retail locations owned by operators? From stores run by operator partners? Or via digital channels (online or telesales)?

Smartphones remain one of the largest product categories sold by operators from their stores. Against the backdrop of pandemic-driven changes and a broader move to online sales, operators have expectations about the future of smartphone retail – but so do consumers. Whether these expectations align will help determine whether operators can adjust to the ‘new normal’ and seize the opportunities ahead.