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September 27, 2018
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With perhaps the greatest penetration of any electrical appliance in the American household, vacuum cleaners are more than a luxury, they have become a necessity. And more consumers than ever before are finding it necessary to have more than one of these valuable cleaning machines in their homes.
Almost 99 percent of all households own at least one vacuum. Fifty-five percent of all households own two or more vacuums and 20 percent or more own three or more vacuums. And those market statistics don't even include handheld vacuums or wet/dry vacuums, both significant markets in their own right.
While multiple ownership is up significantly over the past decade, replacement is still the primary reason cited by consumers for purchasing a vacuum. In one vendor's survey, more than 81 percent of consumers said they purchased a vacuum as a replacement. Seven percent said they bought a vacuum as a part of starting a household and the remaining 12 percent bought the vacuum as an addition to another.
On the surface, the 55 percent multiple ownership figure doesn't seem to jibe with the 81 percent replacement figure. What it really represents, suppliers say, is the difference between consumer perception and reality. It is also a testimonial to the durability and long product life of many vacuums.
"When a consumer buys a vacuum, it is often purchased as a replacement for another vacuum that is still working," explained one industry analyst. "That older vacuum usually ends up in another area of the house such as the downstairs recreation room or upstairs bedrooms. They replace one good vacuum with one that is more modern and has better features."
That behavior underscores two important market dynamics: an increased consumer acceptance of owning two or more vacuums, and the idea that a vacuum should be replaced when its features become dated even though the unit still works.
Today, more than ever in the industry's history, vacuum cleaner sales are being driven by technological innovation.
According to the Vacuum Cleaner Manufactures Association (VCMA), 1991's full-sized vacuum cleaner market represents approximately 11.1 million units. That figure comprises stick vacuums, upright vacuums and canister vacuums only.
Not included are handheld vacuums and wet/dry vacuums, which represent 6 million and 250,000 units respectively. Deep-cleaning units, often called extractors, account for an additional 400,000 units.
In terms of sales, the full-sized market has reached a plateau. In 1980, full-sized unit sales amounted to 7.43 million. By 1986, that number had jumped to 9.66 million units. The market hit its peak in 1989, when an industry record 11.37 million units were sold. Since that time, the market has remained above the 11 million unit mark, but has not broken the record. (See chart this page).
Even though unit sales aren't growing, consumers are spending more on electric floor care. In 1989, 11.37 million full-sized units pulled in $2.1 billion at retail. In 1991, a projected 11.1 million units will grab almost $2.2 billion.
Industry sources attribute the increase primarily to a consumer propensity toward higher-priced units in the mass merchant channel. This is also further evidence that consumers are looking for more features and are willing to pay for them.
All told, the electric floor care market, which includes full-sized, handheld, wet-dry and deep cleaners, accounts for more than $2.5 billion.
MARKET DYNAMICS
Today's full-sized market is composed of 63 percent upright vacuums (30 percent to 40 percent of which have attached tools), 23 percent canister vacuums and 14 percent stick vacuums.
The canister market has been eroding somewhat, but the units continue to be popular at Sears as well as in door-to-door and independent channels. Sears and independents by themselves account for more than 50 percent of all canister sales.
This causes the canister market to be skewed somewhat at retail. In a typical mass merchant or any other retailer with a self-service sales area, a product assortment might run 70 percent uprights, 15 percent canisters and 15 percent stick vacuums.
In catalog-showrooms, appliance stores or retailers such as Montgomery Ward, which can offer a higher degree of service, the product mix is more in lines with the 63/23/14 mix of national industry sales.
Even though retail sales are off, according to many published reports, the full-sized vacuum cleaner market is fairly steady. Generally uncertain economic times have caused gyrations in monthly sales figures.
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