Document Code: BDRPT15112302
Publication Date: November 2015
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BRAND COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PREFERENCE OF THE CHINESE AIR PURIFIER MARKET
by MIC
Abstract
Using big data analytics, this research covers all top air purifier brands in China
with following analysis dimensions: brand ranking by the number of items available
on online stores, ranking by air purifier sales, number of times online users mention
about a particular air purifier brand, brand preferences, factors affecting purchase,
as well as online shoppers' comments and user analysis. All those dimensions help
build a massive social media database which can more accurately reflect consumer
needs in China.
Big Data Analytics
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 1
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Executive summary 4
1.1 Product Sales 4
1.2 Brand Position 4
1.3 Brand Awareness 4
1.4 User Analysis 4
2. Research Objective 5
3. Product Sales 6
4. Brand Position 8
5. Brand Awareness 10
5.1 Mi Air Purifier Reviews 10
5.2 TCL TKJ-F220B Reviews 12
5.3 Changhong CKJ-B160F Reviews 13
5.4 TCL TKJ-F220A Reviews 14
5.5 Lemai KX-35 Reviews 15
6. User Analysis 16
6.1 Xiaomi 16
6.2 TCL 17
6.3 Sharp 18
Conclusion 19
Brand Competition Analysis 19
Consumer Preference Analysis 20
Appendix 21
Glossary of Terms 21
List of Companies 22
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 2
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Data Sources and Collection Methods 5
Figure 2: Brand Ranking by Number of Items Available on Online Stores 6
Figure 3: Sales Volume Ranking by Air Purifier Model 6
Figure 4: Sales Volume Ranking by Chinese Air Purifier Model 7
Figure 5: Sales Volume Ranking by Foreign Air Purifier Model 7
Figure 6: Online Visibility Ranking by Air Purifier Brand 8
Figure 7: Sentiment Ranking by Air Purifier Brand 9
Figure 8: Factors Affecting Purchase of Top 5 Air Purifier Models 10
Figure 9: Factors Affecting Purchase of Best Seller: Mi Air Purifier 11
Figure 10: Factors Affecting Purchase of 2nd Best Seller: TCL TKJ-F220B 12
Figure 11: Factors Affecting Purchase of 3rd Best Seller: Changhong CKJ-B160F13
Figure 12: Factors Affecting Purchase of 4th Best Seller: TCL TKJ-F220A 14
Figure 13: Factors Affecting Purchase of 5th Best Seller: Lemai KX-35 15
Figure 14: Xiaomi Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age 16
Figure 15: Xiaomi Air Purifier User Distribution by Region 16
Figure 16: TCL Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age 17
Figure 17: TCL Air Purifier User Distribution by Region 17
Figure 18: Sharp Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age 18
Figure 19: Sharp Air Purifier User Distribution by Region 18
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 3
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Brand Competition Analysis 19
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 4
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Product Sales
Of all air purifiers sold on Tmall and JD during 15 May 2015 to 15 August 2015, the
top 5 brands were Yadu, Philips, Sharp, TCL, and Panasonic. On Tmall, the top 5
air purifiers in terms of overall sales were Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier, TCL TKJ-F220B,
Changhong CKJ-B160F, TCL TKJ-F220A, and Lemai KX-35.
1.2 Brand Position
Chinese brand Xiaomi, which has higher brand awareness and sentiment rating, is
regarded as a mainstay brand with high reviews from Chinese Internet users while
foreign brand Sharp fell into the category of niche brands with high reviews.
1.3 Brand Awareness
For air purifiers, Chinese Internet users were more concerned about noise level,
followed by C/P (Cost/Performance) ratio and appearance. For the bestseller Mi Air
Purifier, online users cared more about noise level, followed by C/P ratio and odor
removal.
1.4 User Analysis
The majority of air purifier shoppers in China were men aged between 25 and 29.
As for foreign brands, the age bracket of buyers was 25 to 34. Most of them live in
Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai.
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 5
2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Consumer preferences are analyzed using big data analytics in lieu of conventional
consumer analytics. The major problem with conventional approaches is that the
data sources are rather limited, and consumers' feedbacks are acquired indirectly
via market surveys (phone or online surveys). Using big data analytics, we can
conduct keyword searches on social media and e-commerce platforms, collecting
data on a regular basis and producing valuable information about consumers with
the huge volume of data.
Figure 1: Data Sources and Collection Methods
Note 1: This report summarizes data collected from Sina Weibo, Tmall, and JD; citation data must
be used with care.
Note 2: Sina Weibo is the most influential social network platform in China, with over 200 million
monthly active users in the past few months.
Note 3: Tmall and JD are the top two B2C platforms in China, with combined market share of over
80%.
Source: MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 6
3. PRODUCT SALES Figure 2: Brand Ranking by Number of Items Available on Online Stores
480 479453
409
347
145125
48 39 29 24 21
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Source: Tmall and JD, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Figure 3: Sales Volume Ranking by Air Purifier Model
5,257 5,124
3,915
1,938 1,670
1,450 1,441 1,350 1,183 1,160
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Units
Units
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 7
Figure 4: Sales Volume Ranking by Chinese Air Purifier Model
5,257 5,124
3,915
1,938 1,670
1,450 1,441 1,350 1,183 1,160
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Figure 5: Sales Volume Ranking by Foreign Air Purifier Model
937
722674
618 611 605552 543
503
405 399
0
300
600
900
1200
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Units
Units
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 8
4. BRAND POSITION
Figure 6: Online Visibility Ranking by Air Purifier Brand
338,758
685 535 322 322 164 -
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
Note 1: Online visibility ranking refers to the number of times online users mention a specific air
purifier brand on the social media platform
Note 2: Xiaomi's online advertising content is also included, accounting for 55% of the posts
Source: Sina Weibo, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Unit: Posts
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 9
Figure 7: Sentiment Ranking by Air Purifier Brand
0.0
0.5
1.0
- 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
- 200 400 600 800
Note: This mapping provides cross-analysis between the number of times mentioned online and
net sentiment rate of a brand; number of times mentioned online refer to the number of times
Internet users mentioned a specific brand; Net Sentiment Rate (NSR) = (Positive Posts – Negative
Posts)/ (Positive Posts + Negative Posts)
Source: Sina Weibo, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Niche Products with High Reviews
Mainstay Products with High Reviews
Niche Products with Average Reviews
Mainstay Products with Average Reviews
Number of Times Mentioned Online
Net S
entim
ent R
ate
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
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5. BRAND AWARENESS
Figure 8: Factors Affecting Purchase of Top 5 Air Purifier Models
0.5
1.0
Xiaomi MiAir Purifier
TCL TKJ-F220B
ChanghongCKJ-B160F
TCL TKJ-F220A
Lemai KX-35
Note: This mapping provides cross-analysis between the number of times mentioned online and
net sentiment rate of a brand; number of times mentioned online refer to the number of times
Internet users mentioned a specific brand; Net Sentiment Rate (NSR) = (Positive Posts – Negative
Posts)/ (Positive Posts + Negative Posts)
Source: Tmall and JD, compiled by MIC, November 2015
5.1 Mi Air Purifier Reviews
Review 1: For a light sleeper like me, its noise even in the sleep mode is noticeable.
What's more, when you turn it off, the filter keeps running at the lowest fan speed,
continuing to make a faint noise. You just have to unplug it to get completely silent.
Review 2: Overall, it is good, considering the stylish design and easy operation,
though I'm not sure how effective it can be. Anyway, the C/P ratio is great.
9,197 Posts Mentioned Online
Net S
entim
ent R
ate
Operational Readiness
Model
Filter Effectiveness
C/P Ratio Noise Level Workmanship
Odor Removal Appearance
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 11
Review 3: Product delivery was fast. However, I could smell the pickle-like odor of
formaldehyde from time to time in my home although the sensor showed the air
quality was good.
Review 4: It has great filtering function. Its noise goes slightly louder when running
at high fan speed. All in all, the noise level is acceptable under normal use.
Review 5: It looks elegant and superior and has smart Wi-Fi connectivity. The
downside is that the air quality sensor is not sensitive enough to detect indoor bad
odors. When running at the highest fan speed, the purifier makes loud noises.
Review 6: Not sure about its effectiveness since I don't have adequate testing
equipment at hand. Still, the product has good workmanship.
Figure 9: Factors Affecting Purchase of Best Seller: Mi Air Purifier
7.35%
8.82%
9.02%
12.47%
13.55%
37.02%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Workmanship
Appearance
FilterEffectiveness
OdorRemoval
C/P Ratio
Noise Level
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 12
5.2 TCL TKJ-F220B Reviews
Review 1: I bought it because my home had strong chemical odors after the recent
remodeling. I am really satisfied with its performance. Besides a beautiful design, it
only makes small noises in operation. The filtering system is fantastic.
Review 2: The vase-shaped design has a touch of modern aesthetics. That's really
worth praising. Aside from its appearance and workmanship, the filter works well.
Review 3: After using it for a while, I could feel that the strong odors with the new
furniture had been removed. The air became fresh and clean.
Review 4: It has good product quality and is easy to use. It's quiet and effective.
TCL is a trustworthy brand.
Review 5: It's very useful and nice-looking. The sensor works perfectly. No more
worries about unpleasant indoor odors.
Figure 10: Factors Affecting Purchase of 2nd Best Seller: TCL TKJ-F220B
8.61%
8.90%
9.90%
12.28%
22.84%
37.49%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
SensorSensibility
C/P Ratio
Quietness
FilterEffectiveness
Appearance
Noise Level
TCL TKJ-F220B
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 13
5.3 Changhong CKJ-B160F Reviews
Review 1: It has great filtration capabilities, low noise level, and a beautiful design.
Review 2: Excellent C/P ratio. Many of my friends have bought this model. To my
surprise, it makes a louder noise when running at the highest fan speed. Other
aspects are okay. The filtration is effective with numerous control functions.
Review 3: Good product. The noise is smaller than I expected. The delicate
workmanship is worth the price.
Review 4: It has a beautiful design and easy operation. You can hardly hear the
noise when it's running. The indoor air quality has improved significantly.
Review 5: The stylish design makes it easy to fit into my home. After using it for
two days, I'd say the greatest thing about it is being super quiet.
Review 6: Nice design and workmanship. It only makes small noises. It's so
effective that my home has significantly less odors since I used it.
Figure 11: Factors Affecting Purchase of 3rd Best Seller: Changhong
CKJ-B160F
9.33%
9.53%
12.02%
16.48%
23.42%
29.22%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Workmanship
Model
Appearance
Noise Level
C/P Ratio
FilterEffectiveness
Changhong CKJ-B160F
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
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5.4 TCL TKJ-F220A Reviews
Review 1: Great quality and workmanship, with a gorgeous design and effective
filtering system. The air in my home has become fresher. It has an affordable price.
I plan to buy another set in the future.
Review 2: The product was handled with care. Not a single scratch on the package.
The compact product is nice-looking and quiet. At beginning, the filter's indicator
light was green. It turned into blue before long, meaning the air has been cleaned. It
offers a 3-stage filtering system.
Review 3: It looks elegant. It can move a lot of air and effectively eliminate odors.
Review 4: A good-looking and useful product. The air quality sensor is sensitive. I
don't have to worry about indoor odors anymore.
Review 5: I like it—the style, workmanship, and everything. TCL is fantastic! The
indoor air quality has been greatly improved.
Review 6: This model is good, given its small noises and high C/P ratio. I really
recommend it.
Figure 12: Factors Affecting Purchase of 4th Best Seller: TCL TKJ-F220A
9.66%
10.42%
11.27%
14.89%
18.84%
34.92%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
C/P Ratio
Workmanship
Model
Appearance
Noise Level
FilterEffectiveness
TCL TKJ-F220A
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 15
5.5 Lemai KX-35 Reviews
Review 1: It has amazing filtration capabilities without making much noise. The air
quality has been improved. By the way, the appearance design is great.
Review 2: It is a quiet purifier. The compact size makes it easy to put at home. It's
very useful and not expensive. The air in my home really becomes fresher.
Review 3: Good-looking design. As I've just done a home remodeling, this product
is pretty useful. It's a worthy investment for the health of your family.
Review 4: I love it. The C/P ratio is superb. It's such a good product.
Review 5: It feels high-end and top of the line. The price is affordable. Overall, it is
a great buy. I am so glad I bought it.
Review 7: A beautiful product with good filtration capabilities. I'm so satisfied.
Figure 13: Factors Affecting Purchase of 5th Best Seller: Lemai KX-35
8.39%
9.83%
10.97%
13.25%
15.94%
41.61%
0% 20% 40% 60%
Model
Price
Workmanship
Appearance
Noise Level
FilterEffectiveness
Lemai KX-35
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 16
6. USER ANALYSIS
6.1 Xiaomi
Figure 14: Xiaomi Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age
74% 26%
Distribution by Gender
10.4%
33.4%
28.5%
11.7%10.0%
3.6%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-49 50-59
Distribution by Age
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Figure 15: Xiaomi Air Purifier User Distribution by Region
3.4%
3.8%
5.0%
5.1%
6.0%
6.2%
10.1%
10.8%
10.8%
12.7%
0% 10% 20%
Sichuan
Hubei
Anhui
Shandong
Fujian
Beijing
Shanghai
Jiangsu
Guangdong
Zhejiang
Distribution by Region
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 17
6.2 TCL
Figure 16: TCL Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age
56% 44%
Distribution by Gender
14.9%
26.5%
14.9%
9.9%12.1%
10.8%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-49 50-59
Distribution by Age
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Figure 17: TCL Air Purifier User Distribution by Region
2.7%
4.1%
5.0%
5.2%
7.5%
7.9%
8.7%
9.3%
9.9%
21.3%
0% 10% 20% 30%
Henan
Beijing
Hebei
Hunan
Shanghai
Shandong
Fujian
Zhejiang
Jiangsu
Guangdong
Distribution by Region
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 18
6.3 Sharp
Figure 18: Sharp Air Purifier User Distribution by Gender & Age
59% 41%
Distribution by Gender
7.4%
26.0% 24.9%
16.1%
11.2%
4.9%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-49 50-59
Distribution by Age
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Figure 19: Sharp Air Purifier User Distribution by Region
2.4%
2.5%
2.9%
3.2%
4.7%
5.6%
10.3%
14.9%
16.9%
21.5%
0% 10% 20% 30%
Henan
Hebei
Hunan
Fujian
Beijing
Shandong
Zhejiang
Shanghai
Jiangsu
Guangdong
Distribution by Region
Source: Tmall, compiled by MIC, November 2015
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
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CONCLUSION
Brand Competition Analysis
Based on the number of air purifiers put on online stores Tmall and JD during 15
May 2015 and 15 August 2015, the top-10 brands were: Yadu, Philips, Sharp, TCL,
Panasonic, Mitsubishi, Midea, Changhong, Mfresh, and Xuyang. Among them,
foreign vendors Philips, Sharp, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi all made their way into
the top-5 places.
However, in terms of actual sales volume, Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, TCL,
Changhong, and Lemai performed better. The data showed that the top-5 models
in terms of sales volume were Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier, TCL TKJ-F220B, Changhong
CKJ-B160F, TCL TKJ-F220A, and Lemai KX-35. While the Chinese brand Yadu
ranked first in terms of the number of air purifiers put on online stores Tmall and JD,
the company fell out of the top 10 list when it comes to sales volume.
The analysis of brand preference revealed that, to Internet shoppers in China, air
purifier brand Xiaomi fell into the category of "mainstay products with high reviews,"
thanks to its high brand awareness and sentiment rating, while the foreign brand
Sharp belonged to the category of "niche products with high reviews." Among
foreign brands, Sharp KC-BB30-W managed to seize the sixth place in terms of
sales volume. The product received more positive reviews compared to other niche
products.
Table 1: Brand Competition Analysis
Brand Position Brand Actual Sales
Performance
Candidate
Buyers
Buyer Analysis
Mainstay
Products with
High Reviews
Xiaomi
Xiaomi Mi Air Purifier
was the overall
bestseller.
Mostly male
consumers
aged between
25 and 34
Internet users had
extremely positive
reviews about C/P
ratio, together with the
product's appearance,
workmanship, and
operational readiness
of Xiaomi's product.
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
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Brand Position Brand Actual Sales
Performance
Candidate
Buyers
Buyer Analysis
Niche Products
with High
Reviews
Sharp
Sharp KC-BB30-W
ranked 6th among
foreign brands in
terms of sales
volume.
Mostly male
consumers
aged between
25 and 34
Internet users had high
reviews about Sharp's
product quality and
functionality. In
particular, the
company's car air
purifiers are often
mentioned by Chinese
online shoppers.
Source: MIC, November 2015
Consumer Preference Analysis
During 15 May 2015 and 15 August 2015, most air purifier shoppers in China were
men aged between 25 and 34. Most of them live in Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangsu,
and Shanghai.
Top-5 best-selling air purifier models in China during the same period were Xiaomi
Mi Air Purifier, TCL TKJ-F220B, Changhong CKJ-B160F, TCL TKJ-F220A, and
Lemai KX-35. The strong sales of Xiaomi's Mi Air Purifier serves as an evidence of
the power of the company's fan economy.
When buying an air purifier, Chinese consumers cared more about noise level, C/P
ratio, and appearance, followed by workmanship and odor removal ability. In
particular, for the best-selling air purifier, i.e. Mi Air Purifier, Chinese online
shoppers focused more on noise level, C/P ratio, and appearance. Besides, many
shoppers were also concerned about the product's ability to eliminate unpleasant
odors or pickle-like smell.
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 21
APPENDIX
Glossary of Terms
C/P Ratio Cost/Performance Ratio
NSR Net Sentiment Rate
Brand Competition and Consumer Preference of the Chinese Air Purifier Market November 2015
© 2015 Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute
BDRPT15112302 22
List of Companies
Changhong
Daikin
Gentleman
Kylin
Lemai
Mfresh
Midea
Mitsubishi
Panasonic
Philips
Povos
Sharp
TCL
Westinghouse
Xiaomi
Xiaomi
Xuyang
Yadu
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