June Air Conditioner Sales Doubled... Strong Performance Both Online and In-Store

From Basic Air Conditioners
to Portable Small Air Conditioners
Increasing Demand Online and Offline

Photo by Jeonja Land

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] As record-breaking heat is forecasted this year, statistics show that air conditioner purchases in early June have doubled compared to the previous year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, outdoor activities have decreased and more people are staying at home, diversifying the demand for cooling appliances.

On the 18th, Auction surveyed sales volume by category from June 1 to 16 compared to the same period last year, revealing a sharp increase in cooling appliance sales. Sales of the basic model air conditioner, the ‘multi air conditioner,’ rose 72% year-on-year, and demand for the space-saving ‘wall-mounted air conditioner’ increased by 103%.

In particular, sales growth rates were high for the ‘portable air conditioner’ (398%), which can be used without an outdoor unit and moved from place to place, and the ‘window-type air conditioner’ (286%), which can be easily installed on windows. This is interpreted as consumers purchasing additional small air conditioners for each room to achieve cooling effects beyond the large air conditioners used in living rooms.

As time spent at home increased due to COVID-19, the operating time of cooling appliances also lengthened, making auxiliary cooling appliances that reduce power consumption and improve cooling efficiency popular. The ‘circulator,’ which circulates cool air to reduce cooling costs, saw a 78% increase in sales. The ‘home air curtain,’ which prevents cool air from escaping when installed near doors, increased by 48%, and the ‘tower fan,’ which sends cool air evenly, sold 81% more. Sales of ‘air conditioner filters’ rose 162%, and ‘air conditioner cleaning agents’ increased by 136%.

Electronics retailer Electron Land also analyzed air conditioner sales from June 1 to 14 this year, showing a 64% increase compared to the same period last year. Compared to the previous month (May 1 to 14), sales increased by 55%.

Electron Land attributes the early June sales increase to the sudden onset of heat, which has driven more consumers to seek air conditioners. Additionally, the top-efficiency grade air conditioners purchased under the Best Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program qualify for rebates, which has boosted customer purchases.

In response to the surge in air conditioner demand, sales events are being intensified. Auction is prominently featuring popular seasonal appliance brands such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Winia in the ‘Digital & Living Mid-Year Clearance Sale’ running until the 21st of this month. Representative products include the ‘Inno Garden Portable Double Cooling Air Cooler’ (79,000 KRW), ‘Enttumano Window-Type Air Conditioner’ (259,000 KRW), and ‘Windpia Pure Black Tower Fan’ (39,900 KRW).

Electron Land is holding the ‘Air Conditioner Early Purchase Grand Festival’ event until the 30th. During the event, customers who purchase air conditioners with Samsung partnership cards will receive cashback benefits of up to 700,000 KRW depending on the payment amount and the number of other products purchased. Additionally, customers who pay over 2 million KRW for air conditioners using Electron Land’s Samsung partnership card or the Special Lotte Card will be offered up to 36 months of long-term interest-free installments. For certain models of Samsung Electronics’ Wind-Free air conditioners and Carrier Aero air conditioners, cashback benefits of up to 100,000 KRW per model are provided when paid with Samsung partnership cards.

Lee Jeong-eun, head of Auction’s home appliances team, said, “With unprecedented heat forecasted and the ongoing COVID-19 situation, a new trend is emerging in the cooling appliance market. Demand to prepare various types of cooling appliances before the heat fully sets in has surged, leading to earlier air conditioner purchases compared to last year.”

An Electron Land representative said, “Since the waiting period for air conditioner installation lengthens from July, we recommend purchasing and installing in June. Electron Land offers reasonable prices and fast installation services.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.