TechDing noticed that in a recent release of new floor scrubber products, ZUIMEI did not "follow industry conventions" by no longer promoting one or two products in a "hot-selling" fashion, but instead unveiled six new products at once. A deeper change is that ZUIMEI has shifted its long-standing self-portrait theme from "intelligent" to "perfect score".
Here, in the view of TechDing, it seems like ZUIMEI has set a new "small goal": compared to the highly targeted "intelligent", "perfect score" corresponds to "versatile". "Intelligent" tends to be "small and refined"; "versatile" focuses on being "large and beautiful". Starting from this kind of change, there is reason to believe that ZUIMEI aims to pursue a higher industry position. This higher industry position could at least mean: ZUIMEI could catch up and become a new "oligopoly" in the floor scrubber category, truly forming a "bipolar" pattern in the industry.
In 2024, the release of the new floor scrubber by Chasing Technology is themed as the "Top Choice".
According to observations by Ding Tech Network, the market landscape of floor scrubbers differs significantly from most traditional mature categories in the home appliance sector. Particularly in the online market, the landscape is characterized by a "two-cliff" scenario: Tinko has captured nearly half of the market share, establishing a significant lead over Chasing behind them in a "cliff-like" manner; while Chasing, holding close to a quarter of the market share, leads a group of brands in a similar "cliff-like" fashion. Following Chasing, the gap in market share between brands is relatively small.
This delicate situation places Chasing in a challenging position: while they are indeed "far ahead" in the market, they still face the reality of being a "small player" when confronted with the true "giants" in the industry.
Chasing is unlikely to be satisfied with this status quo. In just a few years, they have rapidly grown from a newcomer in the cleaning appliance industry to a leading brand, especially in the floor scrubber category. However, as in any market, the dominant position is usually held by the first player, especially when the lead over the second player is significant.
Ding Tech Network believes that in this context, Chasing's self-portrait theme has shifted from "smart" to "top choice", with the intensive product releases likely driven by two considerations:
Firstly, in order to break Tinko's market impression of "brand equals category". Particularly in the online market, Tinko's brand weight signifies that consumers inevitably associate it with floor scrubbers. Chasing may not necessarily aim to replace Tinko as the synonymous brand for floor scrubbers, at least not in the short term, but they are likely attempting to share the label of "choose XX for a floor scrubber" with Tinko.
Why is "smart" not working? There are two reasons: on one hand, "smart", compared to the corresponding "all-around" nature of "top choice", is precise, vertical, but niche, reaching a relatively limited audience; on the other hand, after several rounds of product popularization, it is evident that the appeal of "smart" in floor scrubber consumption is limited. Consumers are more concerned about cleaning effectiveness, convenience, and health, while the smart experience that floor scrubbers can provide is inherently limited compared to highly interactive major appliances like televisions.
Secondly, Chasing aims to gain a greater advantage over trailing brands. Leveraging the "all-around" aspect associated with "top choice", Chasing wants to convey that their products cater to a wider range of user needs. By launching six products that embody their ideas through different price points, features, and configurations, they hope to tap into a larger market space.
Overall, Chasing's dual actions on branding and products this time around are likely to be a process of exploration. Of course, the emphasis on different aspects may vary: the competition with Tinko focuses on establishing new brand awareness, while the competition with trailing brands may be more about gaining market share.
As for the decision to make dual changes in branding and products at this juncture, Ding Tech Network sees three possible reasons: firstly, although there is still a gap with Tinko, it is narrowing, and from the perspective of their own scale and market position, Chasing now has the confidence and capability to compete with Tinko; secondly, compared to a few years ago, the current floor scrubber market is in a state of slowing growth, with most brands lacking strong innovation drive, but with a notable emphasis on consumer demand upgrades. This provides Chasing with an opportunity for technological innovation, and the simultaneous launch of six products is aimed at better penetrating the market; thirdly, Chasing's actions come close to the mid-year major promotion period, which is typically a period of rapid growth for Chasing, making it more likely for these actions to yield results in this phase.
Currently, Tinko's position in the floor scrubber market is solid, while Chasing's intensive introduction of new technologies and products may have the potential to "swallow" the market. Other brands may need to feel a sense of crisis at this point. Once the "duopoly" structure truly forms with Tinko and Chasing, it will be difficult for trailing brands to find sufficient space to survive. (Original content by Ding Tech Network, please indicate "Source: Ding Tech Network" when reposting)
