The "new national standard for the most stringent energy efficiency in history" has been implemented for more than a year, and the proportion of new energy efficiency products has continued to increase; raw material prices have continued to rise sharply, corporate cost pressures have intensified, traditional "price competition" methods are no longer bright; fine decoration market penetration rate has continued to rise , Which has an impact on the air-conditioning retail market and also brings more demand space... Since 2021, this series of changes in the internal and external markets and business environment are forcing the domestic air-conditioning industry to accelerate its growth from scale to high Quality development transformation.

 

 

　　 In the first half of 2021, when the epidemic has entered normalized prevention and control, air-conditioning sales have shown a situation of decrement and increase under the influence of rising raw material prices and the implementation of new energy efficiency standards. According to the total data released by Aowei Cloud Network, the omni-channel retail volume of the air-conditioning market in the first half of the year was 27.216 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 5.7%; retail sales were 85.79 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.3%. Among them, the retail volume of air conditioners in the online market was 15.05 million units, a year-on-year decline of 3.4%, and the retail sales of 42.3 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.2%; the offline market retail sales of 12.165 million units, a year-on-year decline of 8.4%; and the retail sales of 43.53 billion yuan, a year-on-year decline 4.2%.

 

　　The derating of the volume has increased, which to some extent directly indicates the increase in the average price of air conditioners. Analyze the reasons. In the recent interview and survey of the air-conditioning industry by the State Grid Corporation of China, relevant air-conditioning companies analyzed and summarized these three factors to reporters. First, the implementation of the new energy efficiency standards. As we all know, since July 1 last year, the new national standard for air-conditioning energy efficiency began to be implemented, and after July 2021, old energy-efficient air conditioners will no longer be sold, and the new national standard for air-conditioning energy efficiency has greatly improved energy efficiency access The threshold is reflected in the market. With the accelerated retirement of old energy-efficiency air conditioners and fixed-frequency air conditioners since last year, the market has mainly sold new energy-efficiency, especially new-level energy-efficiency products since the first half of this year, which structurally increased the average price of the overall air-conditioning industry. . Second, the price of raw materials has risen. Since the second half of last year, due to the rapid increase in the prices of bulk raw materials, the cost of a single air conditioner has risen by more than 15% compared with the same period in 2020. All brands are facing greater operating pressure. According to the company’s report, air-conditioning products Since March, prices have risen 2-3 rounds. Third, product structure upgrades. In order to cope with the cost pressure caused by rising raw material prices, relevant air-conditioning companies have accelerated their transformation to high-end and diversified. Market data also shows that the market for high-end products has grown substantially since September last year. Companies promote high-end products with health, comfort, energy saving and other selling points, improve the price structure of their own brands, and cultivate a broader audience market.

 

　　 Although factors such as soaring raw material prices have had a certain impact on the sales of the air-conditioning retail market, and have also greatly increased the pressure on business operating costs, in the view of air-conditioning companies, challenges and opportunities coexist, and companies do not need to be overly pessimistic about the future market. "With the consumption upgrade, the high-end product market will continue to grow, and health, comfort, and smart products will continue to release their potential." The rising penetration rate of the class market and the hardcover market has brought new opportunities. "Based on this, Haier Air Conditioning adheres to a healthy and smart product line, leading the industry's transformation from distribution to retail, actively expanding the integration of offline networks and online channels, promoting the construction of front-end and hardcover channels, and effectively increasing retail share growth."

 

The relevant air-conditioning business person in charge of TCL and Xinke also analyzed that although the price of raw materials has soared, the summer climate change (heavy rains in many places across the country) has increased the burden on the air-conditioning market and the pressure on enterprises, but the penetration rate of the fine decoration market has increased, and the air-conditioning Products have more room for demand, which is an opportunity for air-conditioning companies to develop the engineering market. For example, Shinco Air Conditioning is planning to customize and produce some simple-function products for the engineering market and apartment rental market, and strive to seize the project to meet the needs of market competition.

 

"User needs and lifestyles are also changing." The relevant person in charge of Hisense Air Conditioning said that with the continuous segmentation of user groups, the aggregation of users is constantly changing, and the circle economy is gradually emerging. Young people represented by Generation Z Sub-markets are gradually supporting the future of China’s consumption. At the same time, the tide of silver hair is attracting more and more attention, and the demand for products suitable for old age is prominent. In addition, there are more and more applications in new scenarios, such as elevator air conditioners and kitchen air conditioners, which will develop the air conditioner industry. Bring new incremental space. However, at the same time, the air-conditioning industry and companies still need to be wary of the pressure that many uncertain factors such as the repeated phases of the new crown epidemic, the sharp rise of raw material prices, real estate regulation, and weather and natural disasters may bring to the air-conditioning industry.

 

 

In the face of many internal and external pressures in the air-conditioning industry, the periodic rise and fall of the market is no longer a core topic of concern for the industry and enterprises. Instead, it focuses on “finding new models and new driving forces for transformation and upgrading, and winning the battle for the transformation and consumption upgrade of the air-conditioning industry. Correspondingly, the long-standing price war in the air-conditioning industry has gradually escalated into a value war with higher requirements for air-conditioning quality and functions.

 

　　Reflected in the market product trends, relevant analysts of the White Power Division of Aowei Cloud believe that the two highs and one new (high energy efficiency, high-end, fresh wind) have become a new trend in market consumption. In terms of energy efficiency levels, the number of new energy-efficient air conditioners on sale in the first half of the year has been rising month after month, and it is expected that the market price will increase significantly in the second half of the year. From the perspective of price structure, online products in the cabinet market above 8,000 yuan accounted for 8.9%, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%; offline products above 8,000 yuan accounted for 44.7%, a year-on-year increase of 0.9%, and the industry is gradually moving towards high-end . From the perspective of the fresh air market, in the first half of the year, online fresh air air conditioners accounted for nearly 2%, and offline fresh air air conditioners accounted for nearly 6%. The ratio of fresh air attributes is increasing.

 

　　In the survey, various air-conditioning companies also mentioned and introduced their product structure optimization and upgrading based on new consumption trends that are accelerating. For example, Haier Air Conditioning has formulated a number of health air conditioning standards such as sterilization cabins and air washing around the new trend of user needs, and has successively launched the "Thoro" 56℃ sterilization self-cleaning air conditioner, and the whole house healthy air "3D sterilization cabin" series. Air conditioners, new types of water-washed air conditioners, etc. Midea air-conditioning continues to iterate and make breakthroughs around windless technology and user experience. Last year, it introduced dual-channel air control technology from aviation to achieve the upgrade of "uniform wind across the entire area and no wind feel across the entire area", and another breakthrough in windless technology. . Under the guidance of the new brand proposition of "new forces create new trends" and the brand spirit of "unlimited exploration spirit", Oaks has launched a new upgraded product series of removable and washable movements, Shuxiangjing, and a comfortable and healthy Mu·Light breeze. The series of products further enrich the product matrix. Meibo Air Conditioner upgraded its products with "light luxury", "health", "new energy efficiency", "quality", etc. as pain points, and created its own new operating rhythm and new situation during the industry adjustment period.

 

　　 In the field of fresh air air-conditioning, TCL air-conditioning aims at sleeping scenes in bedrooms, and launched a bedroom air-conditioner-TCL fresh air-conditioning for bedrooms. Different from the industry’s fresh air air conditioners, this air conditioner is equipped with five strict health technology modules, including the explicit smart health center Xiaolan Wing, Zhixinfeng, Zhihengfeng, Zhijingfeng, Zhiroufeng 2.0, and Zhimute. Guarantee deep sleep. In the field of fresh air air conditioning, Hisense has recently launched the Hisense Fresh Air Air Conditioner·Spring Breeze series with both fresh air function and soft air purification function, as well as the large air volume air conditioner·Blue Whale series and Hisense Voice that achieve "20 meters of air supply and 50 flat cooling and heating". Air Conditioning Listening Series. Shinco’s new energy efficiency supreme, Zhiyue, and Zhixiang series of new first-class inverter products have been fully launched and promoted, including voice control, 57 degrees high temperature self-cleaning, WeChat remote control, and UVC intelligent sterilization. It is reported that its large air volume can be replaced with fresh air and healthy air conditioners. Will be fully listed.

 

At the macro level, the "14th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes to strive to achieve carbon peaks by 2030, achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and help achieve the "dual carbon goal" has become a green answer sheet actively written by all walks of life; at the micro level, In the post-epidemic era, people's attention to health and comfort concepts continues to rise. The heads of relevant air-conditioning companies have told reporters that under the dual drive of macroeconomic policies and individual needs, high-end, energy-saving, healthy, comfortable, and smart will become the growth points of the air-conditioning industry. Based on the current industry situation, in the face of the 2022 new cold year that has started in August, relevant air-conditioning companies predict that the air-conditioning industry will still be an incremental market in the 2022 cold year. For brands, user needs are the first driving force in the industry, and air-conditioning companies need to continuously launch innovative products based on user needs to meet users' pursuit of a better life.

 

What changes will happen to the air-conditioning industry in the cold year of 2022? In what ways should air-conditioning brands improve their competitiveness? And whether the "two highs and one new" situation can really reverse the decline in sales and drive the overall air-conditioning market to move forward stably? August On the 27th, you will be able to find more answers at the "New Air New'Carbon' New Bonus-2021-2022 China Air Conditioning Industry Summit Forum" organized by the China Household Electrical Appliances Association and sponsored by China State Grid. At that time, let us discuss new trends in the development of the industry and unlock new opportunities in categories!