Selling a dishwasher, dryer or built-in oven in India often requires more than placing the product on a retail shelf. Buyers want to understand whether it will work in their kitchen, how it will fit into their routine and, in some cases, whether it can reduce their dependence on domestic help. BSH Home Appliances believes physical experience stores can answer those questions while helping it build categories that remain underpenetrated in the country.
In an interaction with MySmartPrice, Pinaki Gupta, Channel Lead – Brand Stores, BSH Home Appliances India, said the company has accelerated the expansion of its network in 2026 and is now opening approximately one outlet every third day. Existing franchise partners are also returning to open additional stores, which Gupta sees as an encouraging sign for the format.
BSH aims to expand the network to around 500 brand stores by 2030. The plan is part of a larger bet on India’s premium-appliance market, which the company expects to double over the same period. Its focus will be on the country’s top 100 cities, where BSH wants to double its current market share while creating demand for dishwashers, built-in kitchen appliances and dryers.
Experience Stores Are Central to BSH’s Growth Plan
BSH began introducing its new global store format in India towards the end of 2024 and scaled it more aggressively in 2026. The aim is to give Bosch stores in India the same broad design and experience as their international counterparts, while allowing customers to see and use appliances rather than assess them only through specifications.
“Most of our products are live in our stores, so consumers can have a real-time touch and feel of the products,” Gupta said.
The Bosch stores are organised into five sections covering laundry, cooling, dish care, built-in cooking and small domestic appliances. Dishwashers can be seen running, while live steam ovens are used during weekend demonstrations to show how a single appliance can grill, steam and bake.
The format is particularly relevant for new-home buyers looking for a coordinated kitchen and appliance setup. Replacement buyers form the other significant group, with conversations focused on what a more expensive appliance adds over the product they already own.
Dishwashers and Built-In Appliances Need Consultative Selling
Built-in appliances require a different sales approach from freestanding washing machines or refrigerators. Customers are often planning a modular kitchen and need help deciding which appliance will fit, where plumbing and electrical points should be placed, and whether their available space is better suited to separate appliances or a multifunctional product.
BSH has started placing dedicated built-in appliance advisors at its stores. The role can involve home visits and coordination with architects or contractors before recommending the appropriate hob, oven or other kitchen appliance. Gupta said these are high-value purchases with a longer sales cycle, which can run for around a month as the customer finalises the wider home design.
Dishwashers present a separate adoption challenge. According to Gupta, the category is present in less than 1 percent of Indian households, despite growing consumer interest in hygiene and greater independence at home. Buyers also continue to have questions about installation, Indian utensils and whether the appliance can match the cleaning they are accustomed to.
Live demonstrations are intended to address these concerns by showing the difference between basic cleaning and high-temperature hygienic washing. Gupta said BSH currently holds close to 54 percent of the dishwasher market and believes it will have to take a leading role in building the category.
Store Design Remains Standard, but the Products Change by Market
BSH plans to retain a common look and experience across its stores, but the assortment will change according to local demand. The company studies its existing installation data and the products selling in surrounding pin codes before deciding what should be displayed at a new location.
A store in a Tier 2 market, for example, may carry more top-load washing machines and include single-door refrigerators in its display. A metro store is likely to dedicate more space to larger refrigerators and higher-end cooking appliances. This allows BSH to retain the same brand presentation while acknowledging that the definition of a premium appliance is not identical across Indian cities.
The stores themselves follow a franchise model. BSH selects the partners but appoints and trains the sales staff, allowing it to exercise greater control over the product demonstration and consultation experience.
Channel-Exclusive Appliances Will Become More Important
The brand-store network will not replace BSH’s other sales channels. Gupta described India as a market of “and, not or”, where distributors, large-format retailers, national chains and e-commerce platforms reach different sets of customers.
BSH is therefore following a different-channel, different-model strategy. Entry-level refrigerators may perform better through distribution in northern and eastern markets, while refrigerators above 600 litres find a stronger audience in brand stores. The product mix is being curated around the consumer expected to shop through each channel.
Brand stores will also receive more exclusive appliances. Gupta said the upcoming Bosch cooking range, including hobs, hoods and ovens, is expected to be exclusive to these outlets. BSH already offers a top-end dishwasher model through the channel and is considering similar differentiation across laundry, cooling and small appliances.
The strategy gives customers a reason to visit the stores, but it also allows BSH to avoid offering the same range to a premium new-home buyer and a customer shopping for an entry-level appliance through general retail.
AI Has Entered the Appliance Conversation
AI has become an increasingly common part of the large-appliance conversation, although Gupta acknowledged that the industry still has a long way to go. Within BSH’s portfolio, Siemens is positioned more strongly around technology, while Bosch continues to emphasise quality and product longevity.
Current examples include a Siemens steam oven with an integrated camera that can identify up to 80 food ingredients and suggest recipes, washing machines that adjust detergent dosage according to the load, and the Home Connect app for remotely operating compatible appliances.
The technology can make appliances more convenient, but BSH’s retail push suggests that AI alone is not expected to create these categories. Physical demonstrations, installation advice and product education remain more immediate requirements in segments such as dishwashers and built-in appliances.
BSH’s expansion is therefore as much a category-building exercise as a retail one. The company is betting that giving customers a clearer view of how these appliances fit into everyday Indian homes can turn curiosity into adoption, particularly in categories where awareness is rising faster than ownership.
