Small consumer electronics products are gaining popularity in South Korea due mainly to an increase in the number of single-person households, online shopping malls said Tuesday.
Gmarket, a major online shopping mall, said the company chalked up sharp sales increases in most relatively high-priced small home appliances in the first half of this year.
Sales of cordless wet mop cleaners skyrocketed 227 percent on-year in the January-June period, with shipments of wingless fans shooting up 119 percent.
Sales of blenders and robot cleaners soared 84 percent and 69 percent on-year, respectively. In addition, shipments of capsule coffee machines and espresso machines rose 58 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
Gmarket was not alone. 11th Street, another online shopping mall, said the number of searches for toasters by Japanese appliance maker Balmuda on its website nearly doubled to about 1,100 in June this year from a year ago. Searches for the Balmuda fan and other goods increased as well.
Market watchers attributed the popularity of small, premium home appliances to a rise in the number of single-member households and a growing trend of cost-emotiveness, or satisfaction to value for money paid.
"Those consumer electronics products have relatively high price tags, but are steadily gaining popularity among people who live alone," a Gmarket official said. "Those people are trying to change their lifestyles by buying small premium goods and feel a sense of satisfaction with their purchases." (yonhap)