As a way of testing the water, Xiaomi, which has never deviated from online sales so far, is set to give the offline market a shot.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Price & Availability (Offline, Online)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 will be the first smartphone to be up for pre-order in offline store, the Beijing-based handset maker announced on Thursday, March 16. However, those looking to get their hands on the Redmi Note 4 offline will have to shell out extra money.

While the starting price for the phone on the online store is INR 9,999 (about $153), in offline stores, the price will be slightly steeper at INR 11,499, which converts to about $176, IndiaToday reported.

The device will be available for pre-order until Friday, March 17 across LFRs stores, and across offline stores in North region including Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Delhi from March 16 to March 21.

Xiaomi announced a pre-order scheme for its huge MI fanbase. The scheme allows consumers to pre-order MI devices via bricks and mortar stores. As far as the company's flagship smartphone, the Redmi Note 4 is concerned; consumers will be able to purchase it in over 700 large format retail stores of BigC, Lot Mobile, Poorvika, and Sangeetha.

Aside from that, the smartphone will be available in more than 1500 offline mom n pop stores in Delhi, Jaipur, and Chandigarh. The Redmi Note 4 would be put up for sale across LFRs and offline stores starting March 17 and March 22 respectively, Digit reported.

Much to the relief of Xiaomi fans and those looking to purchase the Redmi Note 4, the coveted phone will be finally available in offline stores. Buying the device in flash sale on e-commerce sites is nothing short of backbreaking. The handheld was alternatively available on Xiaomi's own Mi.com, but these sales were not spared from virtual stampede either, where a considerable number of prospective buyers would fail to acquire the phone.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi is gearing up to host its media event on March 20, where the tech firm is expected to take the wraps off Redmi 4, Redmi 4A and Redmi 4 Prime. It will be hardly surprising if the aforesaid phones; which are likely to carry a price tag under INR 10,000 (about $152), go up for pre-order and sale in the offline shops.