Mobile phone retailers have urged handset companies to allow them a level playing field by offering the same deal which ecommerce majors like Amazon and Flipkart get during the coming festive season, an official said on Wednesday.

Asserting that online sellers get a much better deal compared to brick and mortar shops during the festive time, the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA) said that around 1.5 lakh small businesses would find it difficult to sustain if this practice continues even in this pandemic time.

"Deep discounts and predatory prices offered in Flipkart Big Billion Day and Amazon Great Indian Festival kill mainline business with the support of mobile companies.

Retailers do not get such deals. This discriminatory approach ruins the Diwali of retailers," AIMRA president Arvinder Khurana told PTI.

He said that the Association has written to mobile makers in this regard and, if its prayer is not heard, retailers would be forced to sell models at prices offered by ecommerce platforms to retain business and debit the difference in prices from distributors.

"This year bearing in mind the suffering of retailers due to COVID and economic crisis, we request you to be a little sympathetic and refrain from giving such deals which ravage our business and disturb market sentiments," AIMRA said in letters to mobile phone companies.

The trade body that represents 1.5 lakh mobile retailers also alleged that several companies do not offer their latest models to offline retailers.