Sigmaintell Research of China said that the export volume of TVs from China in Q1 of this year was 12.7 million units, down 3.5% on the first quarter of 2016 and the firm estimates that 18.7 million units will have shipped in Q2. That will be down 6% on last year and the reduction is blamed on poor global economic conditions and the lack of sports events, as the Euros and Olympic Games helped to boost Q2 last year. High TV prices are also damping demand. Other points of note:
- The share of smaller sizes has increased with 32″ and smaller sets increasing on a monthly basis
- US demand increased, as did sales to Africa and Eastern Europe. However, Western Europe, Latam and APAC all declined.
- The bigger brands did better in Q1, but will see a decline in Q2 on an annual basis.
- OEM suppliers have been seeing declining sales since the second half of 2016 and this trend is expected to continue.
The company hopes that reducing panel prices and some improvement in global economics may lift demand in the second half of the year and that would mean export volumes rising to the level of last year at 76.3 million sets.
