Hot Trends | The world may be facing the hottest summer ever, and Chinese cooling appliances are popular overseas

Chinese cooling appliances are hot sellers globally due to what could be the hottest summer on record

In the winter of 2022, Chinese heating products such as electric blankets and “legless heaters” are popular in Europe. Now, the world may face the hottest summer in history, and Chinese electric fans have become “life-saving” appliances!

According to media reports, climate scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union recently stated that due to the impact of climate change and the expected return of the El Niño weather phenomenon, the global average temperature may reach a new high in 2023 or 2024.

World Meteorological Organization data shows that 2016 was the hottest year on record, and climate experts say that if the El Niño phenomenon really develops, 2023 is likely to be hotter than 2016.

To welcome the “hottest summer in history,” overseas markets have started to “stock up” on Chinese cooling appliances in advance.

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01

Cooling appliances are selling hot

Alibaba International Station data shows that from March to May this year, the demand for air conditioners from overseas buyers increased by more than 50% compared to the same period last year, and the demand for fans also increased by more than 30%.

A leader of an electrical appliance company said that since the end of last year, fan orders from Europe have been fully booked, and fan export orders have grown by 10% every year for the past three years.

Image source: Google

1. Energy-saving and innovative products are popular

A notable trend is that green innovative appliances are becoming more and more popular. For example, the desktop water cooling fan, the solar panel floor fan, and the “photovoltaic + energy storage” air conditioner.

Similarly, the above-mentioned electrical appliance companies also stated that European merchants are particularly sensitive to green energy this year, and solar-powered fans and air conditioners have become new popular products.

“Energy saving and green” has become a big theme in the European market. Last summer, Chinese energy-saving and cooling appliances were quite popular in Europe and America. Data from the 2022 AliExpress 618 summer promotion shows that products such as “energy-saving fans” have skyrocketed in sales.

Source: Amazon

In addition, according to South Korean media reports, as energy efficiency becomes a key factor in easing rising electricity costs and solving environmental problems, South Korean home appliance manufacturers are actively developing innovative products that can minimize power consumption.

Samsung has launched an air conditioner with an artificial intelligence (AI) power-saving mode, while LG Electronics’ air conditioner is equipped with a radar sensor. When the radar detects no human activity in the living room, the air conditioner automatically switches to power-saving mode.

2. Demand for refrigeration equipment is increasing in many countries

As summer approaches, demand for refrigeration equipment is increasing in many countries.

In South Korea, more and more customers are buying electric fans because they are worried about expensive electricity bills. From April to May 17, sales of electric fans at E-Mart increased by 34.3% compared to the same period last year. Especially on May 15, three days after South Korea announced an increase in electricity prices, sales of electric fans increased by a staggering 313.5%. In contrast, air conditioner sales increased by only 7.4%.

India’s Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA) predicts that compared to the summer of 2022, air conditioner sales will increase by 20% and refrigerator sales will increase by 10% this year.

Source: Google

Moreover, since mid-February, demand for electric fans in the Indian market has increased significantly, especially for table fans, pedestal fans, and high-end ceiling fans.

In Bangladesh, many people choose to use their Eid al-Fitr allowance to buy air conditioners.

A retailer in the Chowk Bazar market in the capital, Dhaka, said that in the past two months, demand for ceiling fans, desk fans, and especially rechargeable fans in the area has increased by 200%.

Another shop owner said that normally they sell 15 to 20 air conditioners per month, but since the last week of March, their sales have more than doubled.

3. Fans are more popular than air conditioners

Air conditioners and fans are the two most important appliances for cooling down, but fans seem to be more popular than air conditioners.

As mentioned earlier, Koreans started buying fans in large numbers this year because they were afraid of an increase in electricity bills. The same is true in European countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, where fans have always been more popular than air conditioners. Public data shows that the air conditioner penetration rate in European countries is less than 5%.

Source: Google

This is mainly because European summers are generally shorter, and Europeans prefer to travel and vacation during summer, so air conditioning is not used frequently. In addition, electricity is expensive in Europe, and for energy-saving and low-carbon environmental factors, people tend to choose fans with lower power consumption. Moreover, because labor costs are high, the cost of installing air conditioners in Europe may be much more expensive than the air conditioners themselves.

Therefore, relatively speaking, fans and air conditioning fans that use ice water as a medium are more popular in Europe.

According to data from Toolstation in the UK, fan sales increased by 641% in the summer of 2022, while John Lewis’ fan sales increased by 256% compared to the same period last year.

In addition, from April to July last year, the overall GMV growth rate of landing fans, air conditioning fans, and desk fans in the summer electrical category in Spain increased by 188% year-on-year, and the overall GMV growth rate of landing fans, air conditioning fans, and desk fans in the summer electrical category in France reached 146%.

With the arrival of the “hottest summer in history”, the demand for fans today may be even greater than last year.

Due to its low price and excellent quality, Chinese electric fans have been warmly welcomed by the international market, and the export quantity of Chinese electric fans has been increasing year by year.

According to Chinese customs data, in January and February 2023, the export quantity of Chinese electric fans was 60.98 million units, and the export amount was 897 million US dollars.

Therefore, the growth in demand for electric fans has brought business opportunities to some cross-border sellers.

02

Diverse heat relief gadgets waiting to explode

In addition to air conditioners and fans, other “heat relief gadgets” may also see an increase in market demand in the summer heat.

Next, Shoptop will list them one by one for you.

1. Wearable heat relief gadgets

• Neck fan

The neck fan looks similar to headphones, comes in various colors, and compared to traditional small fans, has a bladeless design that can prevent hair from getting caught, making it safer and more stylish.

Image Source: Google

It is worth noting that according to relevant reports, in recent years, neck fans have also been popular overseas, and sales in the Japanese market increased significantly last year. Google search trends show that “neck fan” was very popular in June to July last year and has recently shown an upward trend.

As market demand increases, the small fan industry is becoming more and more competitive. Sellers should pay attention to innovation in appearance and function, as well as the consumer’s demand for battery life. At the same time, when exporting to different overseas markets, attention should be paid to patent and certification requirements.

• Cooling Neck Ring

This type of product is a physical cooling neck ring. When the temperature drops below 28℃ or a certain temperature, the liquid inside can freeze directly. Spraying water on it or putting it in the refrigerator can also freeze it and it can be hung around the neck to provide a cooling effect.

Image source: Amazon

Searching on Amazon, it can be found that the price ranges from a few dollars to several tens of dollars. From the reviews of popular products, some buyers think that it has a good cooling effect, while others think that the price is too expensive or that there is a risk of bursting.

• Clothing with Built-in Fans

In recent years, clothing with built-in fans, such as jackets and vests, have come into view. The working principle is to accelerate the airflow through the fan, thereby promoting the evaporation of body sweat.

Image source: Google

According to media reports, last summer, Japan experienced a heatwave, and the “air-conditioned clothing” commonly worn by construction workers attracted a wider range of consumers. Many Japanese businesses have “added” fans to more casual clothing, making the styles more fashionable and diverse, and sales have also increased.

2. Swimming Pool Swimwear

• Home Swimming Pool

Data from the 2022 Summer Sale (overseas 618) on the AliExpress platform shows that “home swimming pool” products were a runaway success during the promotion. On Amazon, the search volume for “inflatable pool” in June 2022 exceeded 270,000, a year-on-year increase of 40%.

An inflatable swimming pool is a PVC product that can be turned into a swimming pool simply by inflating it and filling it with water. It is a popular summer product for European and American families to cool off.

Image source: Amazon

Innovations are also needed for inflatable swimming pool products. For example, equipping them with inflatable slides and sunshades can not only differentiate them from competitors but also increase the average customer spend.

In addition to inflatable swimming pools, another popular type of swimming pool in Europe and America is a frame pool. Frame pools are mainly composed of membrane fabric and metal frames, which can be set up more quickly. The pool wall is thinner, less prone to damage or deformation, and has a longer lifespan than inflatable swimming pools. However, they are more expensive than inflatable swimming pools and are less convenient to store. Also, they require a higher demand for space.

Image source: Google

• Other swimming equipment

In addition to home swimming pools, supporting products such as inflatable swimsuits, swim rings, goggles, beach balls, and inflatable toys are also popular in the summer.

3. Sun protection products

Sunshade tools, such as sunshades, are also important equipment for cooling off in the summer. According to the 2022 summer sales data released by John Lewis in the UK, sales of blackout curtains increased by 193%, and sales of sun umbrellas increased by 1633%.

Similar products include sun hats, sunglasses, sun protective clothing, and cooling sleeves.

4. Pet cooling products

Just like humans, pets also need heat protection in the summer. In recent years, pet cooling products have also become quite popular.

Source of the image: Google

For example, a clothing manufacturer in Tokyo improved the “fan clothing” and launched a “summer dog-walking gadget”, which installs a battery-driven fan on a breathable mesh pet clothing, claiming to maintain air cooling circulation around the pet’s body.

In addition, pet ice pads, cool mats, and other products are also popular.

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