Heating Appliance Market 'Heats Up' Amid Heavy Snow and Cold Wave... Sales Soar

Electric Blankets Up 90%, Fan Heaters Up 293%, Camping Stoves Up 400% in Sales
All Camping Stove Shipments Sold Out Last Year Due to Popularity

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Interest in heating appliances has surged due to consecutive heavy snowfalls and a cold wave approaching minus 20 degrees Celsius. As social distancing has extended the time spent indoors, sales of heating appliances appear to have sharply increased.

According to Shinil on the 20th, sales of electric heating pads in the past four months have increased by 90% compared to the previous year. Shinil analyzed that the rise in sales was driven by demand from consumers trying to reduce heating costs by operating boilers for extended periods.

The demand for heaters, a representative winter heating appliance, has also steadily increased. Shinil's shipments of heaters in the recent four months rose by 20% compared to the same period last year. The popularity of fan heaters was especially strong due to the increase in camping enthusiasts caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties in face-to-face contact. Shinil's fan heater shipments in the second half of last year surged by 293% compared to the same period the previous year, with shipments in September alone increasing by 382% year-on-year, generating sales of 1.4 billion KRW.

A Shinil official said, "We predict that sales of electric heating pads will increase among consumers focusing on heating efficiency, and fan heater sales will grow mainly among camping enthusiasts."

Some companies are struggling to meet production volumes amid rising demand for heating appliances. Paseco reported that camping stoves, which have attracted great interest, sold out their official shipment volume last year, and supply is not keeping up with demand. A Paseco official explained, "Due to the increase in camping enthusiasts after COVID-19, stove sales last year increased more than fourfold compared to 2019."

Typically, sales of heating appliances do not fluctuate significantly, but this year, the weather and COVID-19 naturally played a marketing role, contributing to the increase in sales, the industry analyzed.

An industry official said, "Unlike the mild weather last year, the Arctic cold wave has struck the Korean Peninsula, and with forecasts of severe cold weather below freezing, sales of heating appliances are expected to steadily increase for the time being."