Samsung top home appliance seller in N. America

By Choi Sung-jin

For the first time since it set foot in North America, Samsung Electronics has become the largest seller of home appliances in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

According to market survey company Track Line, Samsung held 16.6 percent of the North American market share in five key home appliances -- refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, oven ranges and dish washers -- in the third quarter of last year, beating Walpole (15.7 percent) and GE.

It was the first time a Korean electronics maker topped quarterly sales.

Annually, Samsung was second with 14.9 percent, behind Walpole’s 16.4 percent. GE and LG took third and fourth places with 14.3 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively. Samsung was in fifth place in 2013 and 2014 but jumped to second place last year.

Only seven or eight years ago, Samsung’s share of the North American home appliance market remained at 2-3 percent amid low brand recognition, especially in the built-in kitchens, which account for half of the U.S. home appliance market.

To catch up, Samsung focused on improving quality, topping consumer satisfaction in 2014 and 2015, as surveyed by JD Power. Samsung also engaged in close-contact marketing with retailers, such as Sears, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Best Buy, while setting up space within stores. Samsung’s top-quality TV sets also played a role in upgrading the brand power of other appliances.

The introduction of a premium brand called “Chef Collection” in 2014 - comprising a top-quality freezer, oven and dishwasher - also gave Samsung a boost, pushing up the average price of Samsung appliances to $1,046, about 30 percent higher than the average $702.

A Samsung executive said the company’s goal this year was to turn the quarterly performance into an annual one.