Heating products are popular in the European market, and manufacturers have launched new products that fit European aesthetics

Yiwu Small Appliances Take advantage of the "winter" wind to seize new opportunities to go overseas

  Our reporter Zou Tiran Our correspondent Zhang Liwei

  The cold winter is approaching. Affected by factors such as tight energy supply and abnormally high prices, some European companies have turned their attention to China to seek "solutions" for the winter.

Domestic small household appliance enterprises have started the "explosive order" mode.

According to Yiwu Customs data, from January to August, Yiwu's exports of air conditioners, electric blankets, heaters and other thermal products increased by 41.6% year-on-year.

  The reporter learned from Zhejiang Yiwu Mall Group that recently, thermal orders from European companies have maintained a substantial increase, and products such as heaters, hot water bags, and electric blankets are the most popular.

Many small home appliance merchants broke the previous OEM and OEM models, increased the R&D, production and sales of main brand products, and seized the opportunity to go overseas.

The "ding dong" sound of online consultation keeps ringing

  On the 2nd floor of District 2 of Yiwu International Trade City, Hong Shujun runs a small shop of about 10 square meters.

A variety of hot water bottles are placed in the middle of the store, and small appliances such as small heaters and electric kettles are placed on the display cabinet.

  As soon as the reporter walked into the store, he heard the sound of "ding dong" coming from the computer.

Customer service staff are communicating with new European customers who come to inquire.

Customer service Chen Fei said that compared with previous years, the number of customers through online consultation has increased significantly this year.

  "Look, this is a batch of heater orders purchased by a Dutch customer. During the communication process, the customer emphasized that he hoped to receive the goods as soon as possible, and voluntarily asked not to go by sea, but by air, and the goods could be received in about a week." Chen Fei said that because it was the first contact, the customer was more cautious, and the first order was only a few dozen heaters.

Chen Fei predicted that after the other party receives the goods and uses them, they will repurchase and increase the purchase volume.

  "Many of the orders for thermal insulation products this year are new orders from Europe." Hong Shujun's products are mainly exported, and customers from Europe in previous years are rare.

He picked up a small white heater placed on a high place and said that this heater is a classic model of the store. It sold more than 10,000 units in September this year, which is twice that of the same period in 2021. Most of the increase from Europe.

  In addition to heaters, hot water bags are also a hot-selling product in this European "purchasing wave".

The hot water bottles in Luo Lanxian's store are mainly sold in Italy, Spain and other European countries.

Since April this year, the store began to receive orders from Europe one after another. The largest order was filled with more than a dozen containers, breaking the single sales record of hot water bottles since the store opened.

Seize the opportunity to launch new products

  The reporter learned from interviews that, compared with other wholesale markets, many operators in Yiwu International Trade City have their own factories.

In terms of quality control and product innovation, operators have autonomy.

  In recent years, many small home appliance merchants have broken the previous OEM and OEM models, and increased the R&D and production of main brand products.

Many merchants said that the investment in product development and production in the early stage has laid a solid foundation for seizing this round of overseas opportunities.

  The heaters, electric fans, kettles and other small appliances sold in Hong Shujun's store are all produced by their own factories.

In his store, occupying the C position in the middle of the display cabinet are several red and green mini heaters, which are new products he launched this year.

Compared with the previous model, the new product is more expensive, twice as much as the classic model.

"The sales volume is not bad, and the way to launch new products is on the right track." Hong Shujun said with a smile.

  Due to the increasing number of European customers this year, Hong Shujun's factory has designed new heaters with simpler appearance and colors more in line with European aesthetics specifically for European customers' preferences.

"In order to ensure the supply to the European market on time and according to quantity, our factory is producing heaters at full capacity by adjusting the production line." Hong Shujun said that the order for heaters has been placed at the end of November.

Domestic sales are transferred to foreign trade, expanding the sales area

  Unlike Hong Shujun, which specializes in exporting, the electric hot water bottles sold by Hangxiao Electric are mainly for domestic sales and supplementary for export.

Speaking of the changes in customers this year, the most intuitive feeling of the store staff member Yuan Jufang is that there are more temporary orders from Europe.

  "Our customers are mainly offline, and many of them are old customers." Yuan Jufang said that this year, he can clearly feel that there are more temporary orders for foreign trade.

A while ago, a Ukrainian translator visited the store twice to see the goods, and finally placed an order for a Ukrainian businessman and ordered a batch of electric hot water bottles.

  This year, Hangxiao Electric will focus on the improvement of product safety for new products.

In appearance, there are more electronic displays on the new product hot water bottle.

"This one can adjust the temperature. Consumers can choose between 40°C or 60°C by pressing the button." Yuan Jufang said that the new product has upgraded the three-proof function, which is not only anti-explosion, but also anti-tilting and anti-dry burning.

  Due to the increase in European customers this year, the company has applied for EU CE certification for the new electric hot water bottle.

Yuan Jufang pointed to the new product and said: "This upgraded electric hot water bottle is selling well in China, and we are actively recommending this new product to European customers. We are confident that we can sell more new electric hot water bottles to the European market."

  "Worker's Daily" (November 03, 2022 Edition 04)

  Zou Tiran