The FAIITA BCC (Brand Coordination Committee), along with senior leaders and PAN members, held a detailed and constructive meeting with the HP Leadership Team at the HP office in Gurugram, New Delhi. The HP team was represented by Manish Sood, Consumer Director Sales, Rajesh Shukla, HPW National Head, and Sourab Puri, Distribution Manager.
During the meeting, the FAIITA delegation presented a comprehensive set of key issues and recommendations aimed at enhancing operational transparency, strengthening offline channel confidence, and ensuring fair market practices across both online and offline segments. The HP leadership team acknowledged the concerns in a positive manner, confirmed that several matters are already under active review, and assured that an official response will be shared shortly.
Key Points Presented by FAIITA
Activation Based Sell Out Claims Settlement
FAIITA stressed that all sell out claims should be strictly linked to product activations. A sell out ratio above 5% during regular cycles and capped at ten percent during peak seasons was proposed for greater transparency. Additional recommendations included serial number based claim tracking, unified monthly claim reports, and the appointment of a responsible account manager for program guidance.
Offline Partner Program for 2025
FAIITA recommended the announcement of a major offline program before the end of the year. The proposal included three to four offline sale events annually with strong discounting structures, compelling promotional schemes, and stock liquidation support to empower partners. HP confirmed that this program has already been implemented.
Enabling Online Deliveries Through Partner Stores
The delegation proposed allowing online deliveries through local HP partner stores supported by Click Order and Collect kiosks. This model is expected to unify HP’s retail experience while increasing partner participation in the online journey.
Service Offerings Through Partner Stores
FAIITA suggested enabling HP partner stores to provide official HP service support. This step will significantly improve customer trust, post-sale experience, and long term loyalty.
FAIITA Exclusive SKU Launch Every Quarter
The committee requested one exclusive SKU per quarter for FAIITA partners. The suggested configuration was i5, 8 GB RAM, 1 TB storage, 15.6 inch display, Windows 11 and MS Office, with a target cost of forty thousand rupees. This initiative is expected to strengthen profitability and maintain fair competition.
Clarity on Demo and Rental Unit Policy
FAIITA sought uniform and transparent guidelines for demo and rental units to avoid inconsistencies in access and parity among authorised stores.
Consumer and Commercial Price Parity Concerns with Minimum ROI Framework
The delegation highlighted the increasing pricing conflict between consumer and commercial models, which is creating imbalance in the market. FAIITA proposed the establishment of a minimum assured ROI framework to sustain partner profitability and strengthen the offline channel ecosystem.
Lifetime Price Protection Request
FAIITA requested lifetime price protection until a unit is sold. This protection is essential to prevent margin loss caused by sudden price drops or online undercutting, especially for models older than one year.
Target Alignment for Fair Performance Metrics
FAIITA proposed aligning sell out targets to 80% of sell through for realistic and achievable assessments. The committee also requested the removal of mandatory Bag Connect linkage to provide partners with better flexibility.
Nationwide Implementation of OMO and O2O Frameworks
To build a future ready retail ecosystem, FAIITA recommended a national level rollout of Online Merge Offline and Online to Offline frameworks. This initiative aims to harmonise online and offline channels and drive mutual growth.
In a significant development, HP confirmed that the 2nd FAIITA Point has already been fully implemented, marking a major milestone in the ongoing collaborative efforts between the two organisations. HP also announced that all offers are now exclusive for the channel, giving partners strong competitive leverage in the market. FAIITA noted that this achievement is a “live result of the consistent efforts and dialogue” undertaken in recent months. The committee has requested all channel partners to actively utilise these exclusive offers, maximise sellouts, share media assets, and promote these schemes strongly to ensure the success of this collective initiative.
While exclusively speaking to DT, Mr. Navin Gupta, President, FAIITA stated, “The meeting with the HP leadership was both constructive and forward looking. We presented a detailed set of concerns that directly impact the retail and distribution ecosystem, and we appreciate the openness with which the HP team received our points.
The dialogue clearly reflected a shared commitment toward industry stability and the collective ambition to create a more balanced and transparent business environment. We are confident that continued collaboration will translate into meaningful action and positive outcomes for the entire channel community.”
In his exclusive interaction with DT, Mr. Deepak Bommisetty, Chairman, FAIITA BCC, said, “The discussion with the HP leadership was crucial in addressing several long standing operational and policy level challenges faced by partners across the country.
The HP team responded with sincerity and acknowledged the need for stronger alignment with channel realities. Our expectation is to build a system that delivers uniform clarity, predictable policies, and sustainable profitability for partners. This meeting has set the right momentum, and we believe that consistent engagement will help both organisations co create a stronger and future ready channel ecosystem.”
HP acknowledged that most of the points raised by FAIITA are valid and assured that these will be addressed in a structured manner. The HP leadership conveyed that many of the suggested improvements are in progress and will be taken up on priority. Going forward, HP assured that they will work closely with FAIITA to ensure smoother processes, better communication, and stronger support for offline partners.
FAIITA expressed appreciation for the constructive approach demonstrated by the HP leadership team and reiterated its commitment to collaborating closely with HP for long term channel development. Both organisations emphasised the importance of sustained engagement to ensure healthy market practices and a stable business environment for all partners.
The notable highlight of the discussion was HP’s strong commitment to partner-first policies during a challenging market phase. Despite multiple brands increasing microchip prices, HP has continued to extend some of the best and most competitive offers to its authorised offline stores, even beyond the festive Diwali period. HP’s continued support was seen as a clear demonstration of its long-term commitment to sustaining the profitability and strength of the retail and channel community.
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