Nothing opens 1st-ever flagship store in India, focuses on experience
What's the story
Nothing, the London-based smartphone manufacturer, has opened its first-ever offline flagship store in Bengaluru. The move comes as part of a larger strategy to strengthen its presence in one of its biggest markets. The new store is also a response to the growing trend among online-first smartphone brands investing more into physical retail for better visibility and consumer trust.
Unique concept
Store design and layout
The Bengaluru store is different from conventional retail outlets that focus on sales conversion. Instead, it emphasizes brand storytelling and experiential design. The two-story space is inspired by Nothing's R&D and factory processes. A conveyor belt installation on the ground floor represents the "final leg of the factory," letting customers see their product emerge dramatically before unboxing it.
Product demonstrations
Dedicated zones for product demonstrations
The Bengaluru store also features dedicated zones for symbolic water-resistance demonstrations, USB port durability checks, and scratch tests. These are visual metaphors for Nothing's engineering focus. Although products aren't stress-tested in-store, the setup is designed to mimic the development process behind them. "When we developed the new store concept, we asked: what is the KPI? Maybe sales are not the most important thing," Pei said.
Community space
Community-focused spaces and content studio
The Bengaluru store is also the only location worldwide where customers can customize Nothing products. The brand has also dedicated space for its community, including a coffee hangout area and a content studio. This is in line with Nothing's strategy of integrating creator culture into its retail experience. Customers can even shoot unboxing videos on-site using a dedicated studio setup.
Tech innovation
Future vision for AI integration in operating systems
Along with its physical expansion, Nothing is also focusing on artificial intelligence. Pei envisions a future where operating systems are hyper-personalized to individual users. The company has already launched Essential Apps, an AI-led product that lets users describe an app in natural language and have it generated and deployed directly on their Nothing phone.