——Interview with Shi Shangzhi, Minister of Home Appliances Business of Shanghai Hitachi Household Appliances Co., Ltd.
Through the comprehensive transformation of products, channels and brand image, Shanghai Hitachi has penetrated the high-end lifestyle of 'And Modern' into the Chinese market.
Shanghai brand watches, butterfly brand sewing machines, Jinxing brand TVs, and even permanent brand large beam bicycles, these were the memories of a generation of 'high-end objects' produced by the old Shanghai. With the rapid development of China, the new four major inventions There is a gradual replacement of traditional consumption concepts, and old Shanghai has become a magical capital, but its connection with 'high-end objects' is deeply rooted, especially in the field of home appliances. Foreign brands are deeply influenced by local consumers due to their fashionable appearance and excellent quality. Love, so Shanghai has always been the most concentrated area of foreign-funded household appliances brands in China. Even many foreign brands that have gradually declined in other markets in China in recent years still regard Shanghai as the preferred region to reverse the domestic market situation.
(Shi Shangzhi, Minister of Home Appliances Business, Shanghai Hitachi Household Appliances Co., Ltd.)
Shi Shangzhi, the new home appliance business owner of Shanghai Hitachi Household Appliances Co., Ltd., mentioned that it is easy to treat the consumer market in so many regions of China as a whole before coming to China. After coming to China, users from various regions will be discovered. The thoughts and hobbies are not the same. Especially Shanghai is the branch of Hitachi in China. People generally accept the speed and expansion speed of new things. The trend of rampant consumption is gradually obvious. Compared with other regions, they are more willing to buy high-end. Brand products. '
Market status of Hitachi imported home appliances
Minister Shi Shangzhi Zhang made a very strict evaluation when talking about the performance of Hitachi washing machines in the domestic market. He said that Hitachi washing machines accounted for the first place in the Japanese market, but sales in the Chinese market were flat, not only because of the current washing machine. The popularity of the products is not as good as that of the refrigerator, but also because the technical advantages of Hitachi's imported home appliances are not able to be delivered to consumers in a timely and effective manner.
'Hitachi products are not prominently sold in the Chinese market. They are also related to our pricing. For example, refrigerator products, our prices are almost many times the average price of the Chinese refrigerator market, so the customer base is very limited. 'Shishang Zhizhang analysis, currently Hitachi The domestic sales channels of imported home appliances are mainly concentrated in high-end building materials stores and department store sales. In the volume-selling appliance stores, there is no sales of Hitachi imported home appliances. This is related to the positioning of high-end home appliances products of Hitachi, so the channel resources are very limited. The next stage of channel optimization is to improve the effective display in these channels, and to convey the leading product functions of Hitachi imported home appliances to consumers, so that consumers can clearly and intuitively feel the advantages of Hitachi imported home appliances.
(Hitachi imported washing machine product display)
Taking washing machine products as an example, Hitachi will launch more diversified products in various markets for different needs of consumers in different regions of China. For example, the washing machine style produced in Thailand is more European, and can be integrated with cabinets to achieve an integrated design. In recent years, Chinese consumers are more fond of European decoration, so they can strengthen the promotion of Thai-made washing machines in China and increase the product line of drum washing machines in China to expand the sales scale of roller products.
Brand tagged output is being laid out
Minister Shi Shangzhi’s comparison of Chinese and Japanese consumers found that Chinese consumers’ standards for selecting products are more stringent than those of Japanese consumers, especially for higher-priced products, which must provide value that consumers can recognize. Let them accept and pay for it. In addition, China's middle class consumer groups are rising. Consumers in this category are more willing to pay for high-end products that highlight the quality of life.
In response to this consumption trait, Shanghai Hitachi is currently planning a layout of the experience hall called 'And Modern', hoping to combine the Japanese and modern elements to create a lively energy with a tagged impression. 'We hope to mention Hitachi Everyone thinks of a complete brand impression. Hitachi is a Japanese brand. It should have a style of harmony. But the feeling of giving is more old-fashioned, then we will do 'and modern', adding Japanese elements but very fashionable. Combining Japanese and modern, creating a distinctive brand image, let consumers see Hitachi home appliances as soon as they see this display method, and also build a fan base of Hitachi imported home appliances in this way. 'Shi Shangzhi Zhangben The Minister said that this 'and Modern' show not only products, but more importantly, to bring consumers a more scene-like experience, an expression of life scenes and a lifestyle.
(Shanghai Hitachi 'and · Modern' experience hall renderings)
Shanghai Hitachi revealed that starting from October this year, the display mode of 'And Modern' will be rolled out across the country. At that time, there will be displays of refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens and vacuum cleaners in the exhibition hall, breaking the simple product display mode. To create an integrated home appliance usage scene match, and set up an experience zone, etc., to present Hitachi brand recognition to consumers in the high-end experience mode of 'and Modern', so that consumers have a good experience in the showroom, Hitachi's high-end products are dependent on it, and are willing to bring Hitachi products into their own lives, making their homes a life scene similar to 'And Modern', cultivating the Hitachi brand fan effect, building a Hitachi high-end user community, and radiating The pursuit of personalized and quality life for young consumers has further deepened the influence of Hitachi brand in China.
Expand your online channels with local strengths
In March of this year, Shanghai Hitachi opened the Hitachi Electric flagship store in Tmall. The products include empty ice washing, microwave ovens and vacuum cleaners. In June, Jingdong flagship store was opened. It can be seen that Shanghai Hitachi will be the focus of this year's planning.
'E-commerce will broaden the channel for Hitachi sales. Next, we will prepare for the double eleven. While the middle class is increasing, young consumers can't ignore it. E-commerce platform can better serve young consumers. Hitachi One of the important measures for the brand's younger transformation. 'The Minister of Shishangzhizhang is frank. This year, I really hope to expand Hitachi's e-commerce channel in China. At present, China's e-commerce layout is relatively complete, and e-commerce is very important to the home appliance industry. One of the channels, especially for Hitachi, e-commerce can make up for the lack of coverage of channel outlets in some areas, and promote online and offline channels to complement each other.
(Hitachi Electric Tmall Flagship Store)
From the products sold by Hitachi's current Tmall and Jingdong flagship stores, the average price of ice-washed products is more than 20,000 yuan, which is not significantly different from physical stores. Shishang Zhizhang, the minister analyzes that Hitachi will remain in any channel. The positioning of high-end products, the future development of e-commerce will consider the production of products for e-commerce, but will not sacrifice the brand positioning and product quality because of the need to cater to e-commerce. Obviously, Shanghai Hitachi always locks the target customer group The middle and high-end consumer groups, while integrating into the Chinese market, use their local advantages while maintaining their own brand.
In just two months of his tenure, Minister Shishang Zhizhang visited many areas in China and heard many positive comments on Hitachi. He also collected a lot of suggestions. He used the 'future is still more opportunities than challenges' to predict Hitachi. The future trend in the Chinese market. Minister Shi Shangzhi said that Hitachi has a long way to go in the Chinese market, but Hitachi’s confidence in Hitachi’s brand and product quality will make them continue to challenge the future.
