The move is a notable step for the Chinese/French brand as it pushes to expand its U.S. customer base in a bid to boost market share and profits in a fiercely competitive market.
The new site offers a decent range of affordable Alcatel products, from smartphones and tablets to wearables and accessories; however, at the time of writing, it appears all the items are available for pre-order only, and won’t be shipped till January 28 at the earliest. As for its only listed wearable – the recently announced ‘Watch’ smartwatch – customers are only able to submit their email address for updates on its forthcoming release.
Steve Cistulli, senior vice president of Alcatel OneTouch’s North American operation, said in a release the new site would enable the company to form a more direct relationship with customers while at the same time offering increased access to its goods.
Cistulli added, “Bringing our key global devices to consumers, unlocked, is a natural progression of our growth in North America and is another step we’re taking to ensure consumers have the choice and opportunity to buy the smart devices they need at affordable prices.”
The launch of Alcatel’s online store in the U.S. comes soon after it expanded its e-commerce operation in several European countries, with a similar launch for customers in Canada expected in the next month or two.
In related news, TCL – Alcatel OneTouch’s parent company – announced yesterday it was gearing up to relaunch the Palm brand after acquiring the trademark from Hewlett-Packard. The firm said it intends to create a new Silicon Valley-based company focused on making “breakthrough innovations” in a number of areas, including technology, design, and user experience.
