By Aimee Chanthadavong
Tell-tale signs indicate 2013 is shaping up to be one of Australia’s hottest years on record. This follows last year’s record summer, which saw fans and evaporative coolers prove to be popular choices among consumers, particularly in the first half of 2013.
GfK Retail and Technology results show the category grew by 13 per cent in units and there was also a 22 per cent jump in dollar terms.
Kambrook business manager Adam Tacey said there are expectations the market will see strong fan sales this year to reflect another expected hot summer.
“According to the Australian Climate Commission, the summer of 2012/2013 set more than 100 heat-related records, including the hottest summer, hottest month, and hottest day on record,” he said.
“With more consecutive hot days expected in the coming season, fans are likely to experience strong sales as people shop for quick and affordable fixes to cool the home.”
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Preparing for the sale spike, Kambrook is extending its Arctic cooling range with the release of the Kambrook Arctic LED display tower fan (KFA837, RRP $79.95). This 90-centimetre tall unit has three speed settings — normal, nature and reduction — that can be viewed on the LED display screen.
Tacey also said the company’s Arctic HV 40-centimetre pedestal fan (KFA423, RRP $99.95) continues to perform well. With an 80-watt motor, three speed settings and an anti-topple weighted base, the all metal construction allows the fan to be adjusted for any space, including open living spaces and outdoor rooms.
“The models in our Arctic cooling range tick all the boxes, including size, price, quality and function,” Tacey said.
Kambrook's Arctic tower features an easy-to-read LED display.
Similarly, Dyson believes last year’s market uplift will continue on into this year.
“The coming summer is predicted, at this stage, to have similar conditions to 2012/2013, which should continue to see cooling products, including fans, do well in market,” said marketing manager Karen Gentles.
Gentles said the introduction of the Dyson Hot + Cool fan heater range in April helped the company extend the traditional season throughout autumn and into the launch of the heating season in 2013.
To further help push sales along, Dyson will be introducing four new Air Multiplier models, including the hero of the range, the Dyson Tower Fan (AM02, RRP $599).
All bladeless fans in the range will feature Dyson Air Multiplier technology that amplifies air and eliminates any buffeting. Gentles said that unlike conventional fans, the Air Multiplier models feature dimmer-switch controls that enable for precise adjustments to airflow power.
The company’s confidence in these new products stems from when the first Air Multiplier was launched in 2009.
“This launch raised the profile of the fan category and increased the overall average sell price, effectively tripling the value of the category,” Gentles said.
As more consumers become conscious about their electricity bills, Dyson believes a key selling point for this season will be how energy efficient its products are in the category.
“Retailers have the opportunity to educate consumers about how our range of products can reduce costs of bills whilst meeting their cooling requirements, as well as on product safety to key consumer groups such as households with young children,” Gentles said.
Dyson has now released a number of different fans using its unique air multiplier technology.
GAF Control is also noticing that energy efficiency will be a main buying factor when consumers look on how they will keep cool this summer.
“With the rise in energy prices, most people are after a product that will keep them cool, but won’t cost them a lot to run,” said GAF Control's purchasing and administration manager, Fiona Trajkovski. “The future of cooling will be energy efficient products.”
Trajkovski said retailers should stock fans that are high velocity while still having relatively low wattage.
“High velocity products provide greater air circulation and when it’s hot, most people are after a simple cost effective solution,” she said.
GAF has two new high velocity turbo fans, the PFS30 (RRP $44.95) and PFS20 (RRP $29.95), for the upcoming season. They can either be used as a floor or personal fan or even mounted on the wall. The full plastic construction of each unit requires no assembly and can be plugged in for use once unpacked.
As for how to sell fans this season, Trajkovski said retailers need to know the products and its features.
“Have an idea of what your customer is looking for so you can offer the most suitable product from our range,” she said. “Placing stock in high traffic areas is always a good way to get the consumers’ attention even if they are not specifically looking for that product.”
Results from GfK Retail and Technology indicate stand fans is still the most popular segment of the fans category, accounting for 40 per cent of all dollars spent and half of all the units sold last season.
GAF Control's high velocity turbo fan (PFS30) can be wall mounted, making it a different option for cooling in the home.
To continue reaping the benefits of this trend, Sunbeam has released its 40-centimetre pedestal fan (FA8600, RRP $139), which has a steel shaft, a solid base and can oscillate up to 80 degrees.
“This fan has a completely different look to the FA8900 model and we believe this model will also prove popular with the customer looking for a well featured, quiet and remote control operated fan that will look good in any room of the house,” said seasonal products business manager Roslyn Anderson.
But the real hero is Sunbeam’s Retro tower fan (FA750, RRP $159), which has three speed settings, an auto-off timer and a brushed satin finish.
“We have concentrated ranging around tower and pedestal fans as we feel they are suitable for any room in the house and with the features we provide these fans should certainly assist in keeping families cooler this summer,” Anderson said.
The company is also confident it will continue to see positive results from the category.
“We believe there is further upside in the category, as the summer months extend we are selling through greater quantities well into February and even March,” Anderson said.
“Features and benefits will continue to be important: quiet operation, remote control, ease of use and simple to put together products continue to be important.”
Winning points for minimalist style is this sleek tower fan from Sunbeam.
A large portion of sales for Castel Electronics, the local distributor for Midea Air Conditioning, are made up of rental clients who either do not want, or are not allowed to, install a traditional air conditioner. The company has also seen growth in the portable market driven mainly by elderly customers who are looking for relief on extremely hot summer days.
To service this market, Castel Electronics will be releasing the next generation Midea reverse cycle portable cooler (MPPD12HRN1, RRP $699), which will be available from September 2013. It has a cooling capacity of 3.5-kilowatts and comes supplied with an exhaust hose and fittings to connect either permanently to an outside wall or to connect to a sliding window.
“The reverse cycle models have proved to be very popular here in Australia for both general sales and the rental market and hence Castel will only be carrying stock of this model,” said product manager Trevor Francis.
A cool-only version will also be available but will only be brought to market based on reseller demand.
However, Francis said Castel urges all resellers of portables to ensure customers are fully aware of the limitations of a portable versus a standard split room air conditioner.
“Whilst a portable may have the same kilowatt capacity, consumers need to be aware that the unit is less than a metre in height so it cannot distribute air as effectively as a split mounted 1.8 metres high,” he said.
“Despite that, portables definitely have a place for immediate relief of temperature extremes for so many different people and the market is showing very healthy growth in Australia.”
A portable air conditioner, such as this model from Midea, is a good option for renters or those who can't install a wall-mounted unit.
Seeley International, the Australian distributor of Convair, is targeting consumers looking to upgrade from a fan with two new portable refrigerated air conditioners in the Convair ClimateMaster range.
The ClimateMaster CP12CW2 (RRP $649) has a 3.5-kilowatts cooling capacity and an airflow rate of 300 cubic metres per hour that ensures the area is cooled quickly and more evenly in comparison to other portable air conditioners with inferior airflow.
Meanwhile, the Convair ClimateMaster CP15HW1 (RRP $849) is a reverse cycle portable refrigerated air conditioner. It offers a 4.1-kilowatt cooling capacity and heating capacity of 3.5 kilowatts, with airflow rate as high as 440 cubic metres per hour. The model also features Aquasmart energy-saving technology, auto pump-out draining feature and a dehumidification function that collectively boosts the cooling performance and energy efficiency of the unit.
But still recognising that fans remain favourable among consumers, the company has also introduced the Convair TurboFan Trio (CTF04, $159). It features three independent fans and the ability to rotate the position of the fans by 90 degrees left-to-right and 120 degrees up-and-down, while also spinning 180 degrees on its axis. This means the fans can be positioned exactly where the air flow is needed.
The Convair TurboFan Trio features three separate fans that can be angled and moved to direct air flow.