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| Dibea F6 cordless vacuum cleaner |
By Baek Byung-yeul
It has been a while since budget electronics made in China have gained popularity in Korea. Though they are lacking in quality and have less than reliable warranties, more consumers rush to purchase those products mainly due to their affordable prices.
The recent example of this tendency can be found in vacuum cleaners. As U.K.-based Dyson's cordless vacuum cleaners have been on must-purchase lists of Korean consumers in recent years, more people are also turning their eyes to Chinese products that have similar appearances but with more affordable prices.
Dubbed "Chison" here -- combining the words China and Dyson -- Chinese cordless vacuum cleaners such as Dibea's F6 cordless vacuum cleaner and EUP's VH806 cleaner are enjoying increasing popularity among Korean consumers.
The price tags of the Chison cleaners are at around 100,000 won ($90), which is about a tenth the price of those from Dyson.
According to data from the local e-commerce firm Gmarket, the sales of Chison vacuums from May 1 to 13 jumped 136 percent, compared with the same period in April. When compared to the same period of the previous year, the number skyrocketed 2792 percent.
An official from Gmarket said the popularity of Chison cleaners has been increasing since last year when the products went viral among housewives.
Korean consumers purchase Chison cleaners not only from local e-commerce websites but also "jikgu" or direct overseas purchasing.
According to Malltail, a delivery company for overseas goods, the sales of Dibea's F6 vacuum cleaner from May 1 to 14 jumped 120 percent compared with the same period in April. An official with Malltail said the popularity of Chinese vacuum cleaners is due to their price even though they are of lower quality compared with Dyson.
A customer who recently purchased a Dibea cordless vacuum cleaner said he purchased it because he is satisfied with its overall quality.
"I purchased it as a present for my mother. This is a lot cheaper than the Dyson cordless vacuum cleaner and has a similar look and feel to the British product," said Hyun, an office worker living in Seoul.
When asked about warranty or customer service issue with the Chinese product, Hyun said he doesn't care about that. "I don't care about the maintenance issue. As it is so cheap, I will buy another one if breaks."
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| 2Dyson Cyclone V10 cordless vacuum cleaner / Courtesy of Dyson |
In spite of the soaring popularity of the Chinese vacuum cleaners, Dyson doesn't seem to be paying much attention.
"Dyson has acknowledged that new vacuum cleaners have emerged on the market. But Dyson is focusing on how to develop more valuable products," said a PR agency official who promotes the British company.
The PR agent said it has not been long that Dyson has attracted attention from Korean consumers. But it soon became one of the most favorable home appliances brands here as consumers recognized Dyson's creative product design and high quality.
