From the 'Box Office Scale' Refrigerator... Samsung and LG Opening the Global Era of 'Customized Appliances'

Samsung Electronics Bespoke Home
Photo by Samsung Electronics

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, representing the domestic home appliance industry, have embarked on capturing overseas consumers with 'customized home appliances.' They are expanding the launch of 'Bespoke Home (Samsung Electronics)' and 'Objet Collection (LG Electronics),' which allow customization of various areas of the home such as the kitchen and living room according to personal taste, from the domestic market to North America, Europe, and China. After confirming the success potential of customized home appliances through refrigerators, which are considered a benchmark for popularity, they plan to sequentially expand their product lineups.

According to the industry on the 12th, Samsung Electronics plans to officially launch Bespoke home appliances in major markets such as the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia from the second half of this year. They have already introduced Bespoke refrigerators in Europe and North America, receiving positive responses, and plan to expand the product range to include ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, Air Dressers, air purifiers, and cordless vacuum cleaners. In Southeast Asia, they plan to start with Bespoke refrigerators and then introduce Air Dressers and cordless vacuum cleaners.

A Samsung Electronics official said, "Consumers in Europe and the United States, who were accustomed to built-in appliances, are increasingly interested in Bespoke, which allows them to easily decorate and change home appliances according to interior design."

In the related industry, for home appliances, the preference of domestic consumers is often used to gauge overseas sales performance. The Bespoke refrigerator already accounted for more than 60% of Samsung Electronics' domestic refrigerator sales last year, proving its potential. Samsung Electronics expects that this year, Bespoke refrigerators will account for more than 70% of domestic sales volume and that the positive trend will continue in overseas markets as well.

LG Objet Collection
Photo by LG Electronics

LG Electronics has also expanded its Objet Collection, which aims at space interior appliances, overseas. The refrigerator leads the way and was officially launched in China at the end of last month. An LG Electronics official explained, "In the case of home appliances, it is common for customers to consider purchasing other products when replacing refrigerators. The Chinese home appliance market has strong demand for domestic products, and since color preferences among Chinese consumers are very distinct, it is not easy to penetrate. However, there is growing interest in premium home appliances, including the Objet Collection, which is symbolic."

Previously, the Objet Collection, first introduced domestically by LG Electronics in October last year, also attracted consumer interest. According to LG Electronics, as of February, one out of two customers purchasing LG home appliances chose the Objet Collection, indicating it has established a firm position. Currently, the Objet Collection lineup includes 14 types of products such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners, and air purifiers. The colors applied to each product category have also been expanded to 15 options. Overseas, after introducing refrigerators in China, LG plans to sequentially expand the market to Asia and Europe by the end of the year.