In 2017, China's refrigerator industry faced significant challenges due to rising raw material costs, fierce competition among leading brands, and the ongoing trend of consumer upgrading. According to data from Aowei.com, the retail volume of the refrigerator market in 2017 reached 33.76 million units, marking a slight decline of 0.6% compared to the previous year. However, the retail sales amounted to 93.9 billion yuan, reflecting a modest growth of 3.9%.
Online industry data also revealed that the total output for refrigerators in 2017 was 75.162 million units, up slightly by 0.8% year-on-year. The total sales volume stood at 75.072 million units, an increase of 1.2%. Notably, domestic sales saw a drop of 5.3%, which contrasts sharply with the over 20% growth seen in the air-conditioning sector. While the washing machine industry maintained a small increase in volume, the refrigerator market in 2018 became a focal point of attention.
**Consumption Upgrades Drive Innovation in Preservation Technology**
Over recent years, consumer preferences for refrigerators have evolved significantly. A joint survey conducted by the Yiyikang Red Top Award in 2017 found that consumers prioritized three key factors when purchasing refrigerators: preservation technology, energy efficiency, and environmental protection. Among these, preservation technology ranked highest, with 41.3% of respondents highlighting its importance.
This shift has led manufacturers to focus more on advanced preservation technologies. Unlike past competition centered around smart features, multi-door designs, and frequency conversion, major brands have increasingly emphasized food preservation since 2017.
For example, the U.S. brand introduced the “Microcrystalline Weekly Fresh†series, which focuses on enhancing food freshness through independent micro-cavities, wave-type stereo transmission, and a three-dimensional design. These innovations help maintain the ideal state of meat—freezing without ice buildup and preserving nutrients effectively.
Haier launched a full-space fresh-keeping refrigerator that maintains freshness and cooling simultaneously, solving the issue of "heating" during defrosting in traditional air-cooled models. This new approach is set to redefine the frozen and fresh-keeping market in 2018.
Similarly, Meiling’s M fresh-keeping refrigerator uses water molecule activation technology to vibrate moisture within food, activating water molecules and generating resonance, fission, and penetration forces. This helps solve long-standing issues like thawing blood loss and poor bagging preservation, enabling long-term storage.
After years of upgrades, refrigerator designs have become more refined, and the adoption of air cooling and frequency conversion is nearly complete. With product homogeneity becoming a major issue, differentiated product strategies are now essential. Aowei Cloud predicts that 2018 will see a competitive battle focused on preservation technology, with more advanced techniques helping brands capture high-end market shares.
**Two-line Integration Sparks Product Structure Changes**
Despite the overall slowdown in the refrigerator industry, online platforms showed strong growth in 2017. According to Orviet Cloud Network data, online sales of refrigerators reached 12.23 million units, a 28.1% increase year-on-year, with sales reaching 23.1 billion yuan, up 37.6%.
With Generation 90 now being the main consumer group, their shopping habits are shaping the future direction of the home appliance industry. As e-commerce matures, it has entered a stable growth phase. In response to the slowing “Internet +†dividend, the refrigerator industry has begun to adopt integrated online and offline retail models.
In December 2017, JD.com and Wuxing Electric Appliances formed a strategic partnership to expand into omnichannel retail. This move highlights how e-commerce companies are strengthening integration between online and physical stores, using experiential retail models that combine online purchases with offline experiences.
In 2018, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the “Appliances to the Countryside†policy, third- and fourth-tier markets are entering a new wave of renewal. Refrigerator companies are deepening their presence in these regions, while new retail models like JD.com and Wuxing are bringing fresh ideas to channel transformation.
The integration of online and offline channels requires corresponding product systems. Aowei Cloud analysis shows that low-cost, direct-cooling small-volume products are shrinking, while products with opening doors are moving away from price wars. High-end products are gaining popularity, with 2018 seeing increased competition in this segment. Ultra-thin and free-standing models, which save space and suit high housing prices, are emerging as new high-end trends.
According to Aowei Cloud Network, the refrigerator market in 2018 is expected to reach 33.96 million units in retail volume, a 0.6% increase year-on-year. Retail sales are projected to reach 96.4 billion yuan, up 2.6% from the previous year. Online average prices rose by 4.0%, while offline prices increased by 7.0%.
However, despite these positive signs, manufacturing cost pressures remain in 2018 due to rising raw material prices. The “rich get richer†phenomenon in the refrigerator industry is likely to intensify. Meanwhile, consumer demands are becoming more diverse and personalized, driving user-centric innovation and creating endless possibilities for the refrigerator industry in 2018.
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