Samsung maintains lead in US home appliance market in 2017

By Jun Ji-hye

Samsung Electronics retained the top position in the competitive U.S. home appliance market for the seventh consecutive quarter in 2017, according to a recent industry survey.

U.S. market researcher TraQline said Sunday that Samsung’s market share in household products in the U.S. stood at 21 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017, up by 2.3 percentage points from a year earlier.

This was the first time that the company’s market share surpassed 20 percent during a three-month period.

Samsung kept its No. 1 market share on a yearly basis as well, at 19.5 percent for all of 2017.

The company saw strong sales of its premium products such Family Hub smart refrigerators and FlexWash washing machines.

The Korean tech giant held a 23.9 percent market share in refrigerators in the fourth quarter, with the share of its premium French-door refrigerators standing at 33.7 percent during the period. It has secured the top spot in refrigerator sales for nine years in a row.

Samsung Family Hub was awarded Best Innovation Award at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for three years in a row since 2016.

In washing machines, the firm held a 21.5 percent market share in the fourth quarter, garnering the top position for the sixth consecutive quarter.

“We will continue to maintain our status as the No.1 brand through innovation of products and service,” said Choi Ik-soo, executive vice president at Samsung Electronics.

For its part, LG Electronics maintained a 15.7 percent market share in 2017, as it did in 2016, in all consumer appliances sold in the U.S., holding second place.

Great performances of Korean companies in the United States are not unrelated to the U.S. government’s recent decision to slap safeguard tariffs on Korean residential washing machines.

Whirlpool, which filed a petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission in May requesting safeguard measures on Korean washers, lost 1.2 percentage points in its market share, ranking third after LG. The U.S. company’s market share stood at 15.4 percent, followed by General Electric’s 13.5 percent and Kenmore’s 9.1 percent.

Market observers said Korean companies will face growing pressure regarding safeguard measures right away, noting that there is a great possibility for their market share to decline this year.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are protesting the protectionist decision made by the Donald Trump administration, claiming it will lead to a “great loss” for American consumers.

Song Dae-hyun, president of LG Electronics’ home appliance and air systems, said during a news conference held in Seoul Jan. 18, “We will make full efforts to provide our customers with products, come what may.”