How Diwali Discounts Rescued iPhone 6s Shipments in India (2015)

After a sluggish initial October debut in India caused by steep import pricing, shipments of Apple's iPhone 6s and 6s Plus surged dramatically in November 2015, driven by aggressive Diwali trade-in promotions and expanded distribution partnerships.

Import Surge Following Festive Buybacks

According to import data from Cybex Exim, Apple imported 562,500 iPhones into India between October 1 and November 15, with the new 6s series accounting for nearly 74 percent of the total. In its first month alone, Apple shipped over 413,500 units of the 6s lineup — almost matching its entire sales volume from the corresponding quarter of 2014.

The Buyback Solution

The turning point occurred when Apple and its retail partners introduced structured buyback schemes offering trade-in discounts of up to Rs 34,000 just ahead of the Diwali shopping season. Counterpoint Research analyst Tarun Pathak noted that Apple's strategy focused on lowering the barrier to entry for its ecosystem, capturing aspirational consumers in one of the world's fastest-growing smartphone markets.