Continuously understanding user demand and paying attention to the voice of user are the basis for the supply-side reform of the home appliance industry under the background of consumption upgrade. In 2020, the User Committee of China Association for Quality (CAQ) continued to organize the user satisfaction monitoring among 74 brands from seven categories of products, including refrigerator, air-conditioner, washing machine, TV, kitchen ventilator , gas water heater and electric water heater. Apart from consumer satisfaction index and quality consumer experience index, research on marketing quality satisfaction was included in monitoring. The monitoring was implemented nationwide by intercept interview, online survey and public opinion analysis. More than 40,000 valid questionnaires were completed and more than 38 million pieces of public opinion monitoring information were completed.
1. Under the background of high-quality development and consumption upgrade, user satisfaction with home appliance products continues to increase
2020 is the final year of the "13th Five-Year Plan". In order to boost consumer confidence in the market and benefit more and more consumers, Chinese home appliance companies focused on user and were led by technological innovation, continued to strengthen independent innovation capabilities and comprehensive competitiveness, entering the forefront of the global home appliance industry. The results of monitoring data showed that the user satisfaction index of the seven categories of products was between 81.1-82.4 point, which is an increase compared to that of 2019.
2. The overall consumer experience of home appliance product quality is improving, but the weaknesses in service quality are still the key influencing factors of consumer experience.
The rapid development of the mobile Internet era made consumers pay more attention to the inner feelings and emotional experience obtained in the process of product purchase, use and service. Improving the entire process of user experience management was an important measure for the high-quality development of most home appliance companies during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. The monitoring results showed that the quality consumer experience index of the seven categories of home appliances in 2020 was above 38 points, which was significantly improved compared with that of last year, showing a positive trend, indicating that the company's measures to improve user experience were recognized. However, in service provision, problems such as insufficient installation services and charges, slow response in customer service, untimely delivery services, and disputes over return freight charges were still the pain points in user experience and key factors affecting home appliance consumer experience.
3. The consumer’s demand for high quality, high-end and scene-oriented is becoming more and more prominent, but there is still gap between domestic appliance brands and high-end brand positioning.
The monitoring results showed that users had a higher evaluation of high-end home appliances with prices above 6000 RMB. By analyzing user’s needs, it was found that after their needs for the basic performance of product were met, current users would pursue the needs of “good or bad” in terms of quality, technology and scenes, etc., such as requirements for the clean smell and sterilization, dry and wet separate storage of refrigerators; fresh air purification and self-cleaning function of air conditioners; disinfection and cleaning function of washing machines; automatic cleaning and smoke exhaust of kitchen ventilators; voice control and child mode requirements for smart water heaters and etc. It can be seen that the demand of home appliance users in terms of high-quality, high-end and scene-oriented is becoming more prominent. Research in the past two years has found that companies that quickly capture and meet user needs in this area can more quickly improve user satisfaction and consumer experience, enhance user stickiness, and take priority in the high-end market.
Among the users surveyed, only 7.2% respondents felt that the brand positioning of domestic home appliances was at a high-end level, while 10.8% users believed that the positioning of foreign brands was at a high-end level. There is still a gap between the two. At present, the global market share of China's home appliances has exceeded 50%, but in some areas of high-end home appliances, the status of foreign brands in the minds of users is still difficult to shake. Home appliance companies should seize the opportunity, strengthen user research, accelerate technological innovation, and continuously improve the brand's high-end positioning level, so as to meet the escalating consumer demand with better supply quality and efficiency.
4. The quality of home appliance marketing has been recognized by users, and purchase through online and offline channels has become a new consuming trend.
In order to help home appliance companies further their brand building and promotion, research on marketing quality satisfaction was added in monitoring for home appliance industry in 2020. The research was based on “7P” marketing theory, making a comprehensive measure from marketing service, marketing content, product display, channel information recognition and other aspects. The monitoring results showed that the overall marketing quality satisfaction for home appliance industry is 82.1 points, which is at a relatively satisfactory level. Regarding the recognition of information channels, although brand live broadcast sales are popular, purchase experience in physical stores still got the highest recognition in terms of information resources. And official promotion channels by home appliance companies recommended by relatives and friends ranked the second.
As to the future home appliance marketing model, the sales attributes of offline physical stores are gradually weakening, and the attributes of experience and service are gradually increasing. Offline experience plus online purchase or online VR experience plus offline delivery and installation will become a new consuming trend. Online live sales and social e-commerce have also become new outlets, and consumers have developed from search-oriented shopping to desire-oriented shopping. Home appliance companies should pay attention to the marketing management of integrated online and offline channels, focus on the inner emotions of users and develop empathy with users, so as to create new marketing models with online and offline interaction.
Annex:
2020 Home Appliances Brands whose Consumer’s Satisfaction and Quality Consumer Experience Index (QCEI) Higher than the Average Industry Level 
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