Camping Stoves Sell Like Hotcakes in Chilly Weather... About 3 Units Sold Per Minute

Shinil Fan Heater Shipments Increase 25% Year-on-Year from July to September
Rise in Camping Stove Sales Driven by MZ Campers Entering Due to COVID-19
Confirmed in Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) Report
Russia-Driven European Energy Crisis Also Stimulates Demand for Heating Appliances

Shinil Electronics 'Fan Heater'.
Photo by Shinil Electronics

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwak Min-jae] Following the sudden chilly weather, sales of camping heaters have surged. In live commerce targeting the MZ generation, fan heaters that can be used for camping are selling like hotcakes at a rate of three units per minute. Among the '2030 camping crowd,' camping heaters have now established themselves as essential items for winter camping.

According to Shinil Electronics, a home appliance specialist, shipments of the camping heater 'Shinil Fan Heater' from July to September this year increased by 25% compared to the same period last year. A Shinil Electronics official said, “Fan heaters are useful at campsites where power consumption is limited because they provide maximum heat output with low power consumption, and they can be used for up to 67 hours on a single refuel, making them popular among campers,” adding, “We plan to increase fan heater sales volume by 40-50% compared to last year.”

Shinil Electronics cited the influx of new MZ generation campers during the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the increase in camping heater sales. Statistics support this fact. During the COVID-19 period, young people led the growth of self-directed leisure industries such as camping.

According to the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) report titled ‘Social Impact of COVID-19 Based on Search and Shopping Data,’ interest in leisure industries such as camping increased among people in their 20s and 30s, and consumption in this sector by this age group also rose. An industry insider explained, “The MZ generation is rapidly replacing the 40s and 50s generation, who were the mainstay of camping culture in the past, especially benefiting from revenge consumption sparked by restrictions on overseas travel.”

Amid this trend, Shinil Electronics is actively marketing by targeting mobile live commerce channels familiar to the MZ generation. Shinil Electronics recently sold fan heaters on Kakao Shopping Live, reporting sales of 251 units over 80 minutes. This means they sold about three units per minute, generating sales revenue of 126.75 million KRW. A Shinil Electronics official said, “Noticing the increasing number of consumers, especially in their 20s and 30s, looking for camping-related products, we conducted fan heater sales broadcasts through mobile live commerce channels familiar to the MZ generation,” adding, “Having achieved concrete results, we will continue to expand live commerce broadcasts to increase touchpoints with consumers.”

The energy crisis in Europe triggered by Russia is also stimulating demand for heating appliances such as camping heaters. The sharp rise in international natural gas prices due to Russia’s suspension of natural gas supply has already been proven by data showing a rapid increase in exports of oil heaters to Europe. Home appliance company Paseco announced that from January to September this year, exports of oil heaters to Europe increased by 50% compared to the same period last year, exceeding 10 billion KRW in export revenue to Europe.