Apr 13, 2020|
JD Big Data: Consumers Seek Home Fitness and Enjoy Coffee under COVID-19
by Ella Kidron
The JD Big Data Research Institute reveals that even as more people are going outside following a period of lockdown and strict home quarantine across the country, the demand for home gym equipment, especially high-end, professional-grade equipment, in China continues to rise.
From April 1st-6th, transaction volume of large exercise machines, such as rowers, elliptical and treadmills increased more than 133%, 91% and 96% YOY respectively. At the same time, data from the China Tourism Academy reveals that China’s scenic spots have rebounded strongly, receiving over 43 million visitors during the three-day Tomb Sweeping holiday period from April 4th to 6th.
Increased consciousness about health and hygiene has been a trend throughout the COVID-19 period. As most gyms across the country have not yet reopened, consumers have opted to invest in home gym equipment. In addition to smaller and more portable equipment such as pullers, dumbbells, yoga gear and jump ropes, consumers are gradually tending towards buying more professional, large-scale fitness equipment with unit prices of several thousand yuan, and even as high as nearly 10,000 yuan.
The trend is not exclusive to China alone. With the increasing severity of COVID-19 around the world, high-end home fitness solutions are becoming increasingly popular as people look to stay in shape during quarantine. Gyms and fitness studios have quickly adapted to offering classes online via numerous livestream platforms, from Instagram Live to their own apps. Hardware + software combinations such as home-use “smart” exercise bikes that offer classes via an app saw a sharp increase in sales at the end of March.
Spending more time at home also appears to have given rise to an at-home coffee connoisseur culture. JD’s data reveals transaction volume of that coffee sets during the Tomb Sweeping holiday period increased 130% compared to the holiday period last year, while number of items sold increased over 80% YOY. The transaction volume of coffee grinders and milk frothers nearly tripled as compared with the same period last year, while transaction volume of coffee pots and cups increased by 110% YOY.