Shipments decreased by 11%
Home appliances other than air conditioners are also affected by semiconductor shortages and blockades.
Mitsubishi Electric has postponed the release of a new rice cooker scheduled for May due to delays in parts procurement.
In April and May, Panasonic stopped accepting orders for washing machines, microwave ovens, rice cookers, and massage chairs that use Chinese-made parts and semiconductors.
Hitachi Global Life Solutions, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., also temporarily suspended orders for 13 washing machines at the end of April due to stagnant production in Shanghai. After that, as the production equipment started operation in stages from June 1, orders were resumed.
According to the Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association, domestic shipments of home appliances in May decreased 11.1% year-on-year to 189.4 billion yen, the second consecutive month of decline.
Air conditioner shipments decreased by 14.8%. Shipments of washing machines and microwaves decreased by 37.9% and 24.2%, respectively.
“Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic revived strong demand from homes, but was also heavily affected by the blockade of Shanghai for some electronics manufacturers,” said a JEMA official. Said.
Second-hand goods popularity
On the other hand, with the recent rise in prices, consumers are increasingly focusing on their budgets, and sales of inexpensive used air conditioners are also strong. Sales of used air conditioners in May increased by 30% year-on-year at Treasure Factory in Tokyo, which has about 70 stores nationwide.
“As prices rise, more and more customers are looking for cheap second-hand air conditioners. According to a spokeswoman for the company, the best-selling model is a 6 to 8 tatami mat room, priced at 2. It ranges from 10,000 yen to 30,000 yen. ” “Because the inventory is relatively low, we are strengthening the repurchase of used air conditioners.”
Yoshitaka Nakajima, an associate professor at Takushoku University Bunkyo University and an expert in consumer electronics distribution, said, “It is true that consumers have fewer choices, but it is different from the situation where there is a temporary shortage of masks and toilet paper. Consumers should always choose smart products. “
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