Experts from the OBI construction hypermarket chain analyzed sales of climate control equipment and found that the dynamics of demand for fans and air conditioners increases by 5% annually.
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Fans are in greatest demand in Russia. They are relatively inexpensive, do not require installation, and are easy to transport with you: to your apartment, to your workplace, to your country house. Today, for every 10 air conditioners purchased, there are 158 fans. In the warm season, the demand for them increases exponentially. About 67–74% of sales volumes occur in the period from May to July.
The structure of demand also depends on the specific region: where it has its own specific assortment and the volume of models presented in a particular segment. For example, in the south, in the European part of the Russian Federation, in Vladivostok, split systems are most popular. In St. Petersburg, the priority belongs to mobile air conditioners, which do not spoil the appearance of historical facades. In the Urals and Volga region, window systems are most often purchased.
“Today, Chinese and Russian brands of climate control equipment are most widely represented on the Russian market. At the same time, there are no air conditioner production facilities in Russia yet: all enterprises are located in China, but trademarks and production facilities belong to the Russian Federation. But the products of Western manufacturers, as well as Japanese equipment, are increasingly fading into the background every year,” said Alexander Smirnov, category manager of the “Construction and Equipment” department of OBI hypermarkets.
As OBI analytics shows, periods of high demand also vary somewhat depending on the region. For example, in the hottest southern regions of Russia, the demand is pronounced and situational. Here, air conditioners are replaced (or repaired) as soon as they are out of order, and during the construction of buildings or repairs, such an expense item as climate control equipment is immediately included.
In cooler, middle and northern latitudes, it often happens that when equipment breaks down, its replacement or repair is postponed until the next hot summer, resulting in pent-up demand. And if the next summer after the breakdown turns out to be cold, the purchase may be postponed for another year.
For example, in 2023, the increase in demand for climate control equipment was largely due to the need to replace worn-out systems. The same trend continues this summer. Among the factors influencing the positive dynamics of sales are also: prolonged heat in many regions, comfortable installation times for split systems and the equalization of their costs after jumps associated with the departure of Western brands.
The two largest channels for the sale of climate control equipment are offline retail sales, as well as demand in the B2B segment. At the same time, the share of online sales is increasing in the entire market of goods for the home, repairs, cottages and gardens. This dynamic also applies to climate control technology: based on current trends, e-commerce volumes in the segment will only continue to grow.
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