Huawei to expand distribution channels

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said it plans to build about 4,000 branded counters across the country by 2013, in a bid to expand the distribution channels for its smartphones and tablets.

In addition, Huawei aims to establish several self-operated flagship stores this year in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, to demonstrate its products and compete for customers, said Wang Weijun, China head of Huawei Device Co Ltd, in a video interview with Sohu.com.

"We have signed strategic cooperation agreements with major consumer electronics chain stores, including Suning, Gome and D.Phone," said Wang. He added that Huawei Device plans to have more than 4,000 employees to meet clients face to face and help promote Huawei mobile phones.

Huawei Device registered revenue of 12 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in the Chinese market as of August, up 50 percent year-on-year, according to Wang. The company aims to have total sales in China of 16.6 billion yuan by year-end, but Wang said he expected the sales to even surpass 18 billion yuan.

In a previous interview with China Daily, Wan Biao, chief executive officer of Huawei Device Co Ltd, the mobile phone subsidiary of Huawei, said Huawei should also pay more attention to e-commerce channels.

"We have seen e-commerce rising as a very important way for mobile phone sales and Huawei will take further steps in developing the e-commerce business," Wan said at the time.