SAO PAULO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi opened its first store in Brazil on Saturday, drawing thousands of fans, some of whom camped outside as early as Thursday for a chance to be among the first to acquire one of the brand's newest smartphones.
On the day of the opening, fans formed a 500-meter-long line leading to the entrance of Xiaomi's Mi store, located in the Ibirapuera shopping center of Sao Paulo city's Moema district.
"We are betting on Mi's fans and on expanding our market to a public that is still unfamiliar with the brand," Luciano Barbosa, products director for Xiaomi's Brazilian partner, the DL group, told Xinhua.
"Chinese companies are increasingly recognized for their quality and accessibility," said Barbosa.
Before the opening of the store, Xiaomi smartphones were already available at Brazilian supermarkets and shops selling household appliances, but the brick-and-mortar store is set to lift the company's brand recognition to a higher level.
To celebrate the opening, Xiaomi offered a 30-percent discount on its top-of-the-line smartphones, but the store also featured scores of other high-tech electronics made by the firm, from surveillance cameras to vacuum cleaners, smart umbrellas, multifunctional clocks and LED lighting.
DL's director, Paulo Xu, highlighted the importance of opening in Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest city and home to some 45.6 million residents.
"The first physical store is very important to reach the Brazilian market, offering not just smartphones but an entire ecosystem of products," said Xu.
