Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi shuttered its one and only UK Mi store last week in Westfield London after a mere 15 months of operations.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Xiaomi said the adjustment to the company’s local retail strategy is a reaction to its fast-growing business in Western Europe.
“Since our official arrival in the UK over one year ago, we have loved building relationships with our users, Mi fans and partners and thank them all for their support.”
Though the company gave no specific reason for the closure, the UK Mi Store was notorious for stock shortages and for charging higher prices than its online channel. The store’s low patronage and an attempt to cut costs to focus on its other new Western European markets most likely attributed to the reason for its exit.
Xiaomi entered Western Europe through Spain in 2017, followed by France and Italy shortly after.
Xiaomi’s UK Twitter account has been deactivated since the store closed and Westfield London’s website has been updated with a disclaimer that the Mi Store is no longer trading. However, Xiaomi products are still available for purchase through UK partners including Amazon, Three and Mi.com.