Chest freezers outperform fridges in shifting Eid demand pattern

Sales of electronics and home appliances improved ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with some companies meeting their pre-set targets, supported by steady demand across key product categories and rising customer activity before the holiday.

Md Shahidul Islam, chief operating officer of Transcom Electronics Limited, said the company met its pre-Eid-ul-Azha sales targets during the Eid-ul-Azha sales period.

He noted that demand for larger and high-end electronics items was weaker compared to previous years, while medium and lower-range products performed better. Customers, he said, increasingly opted for value-driven choices, such as selecting larger-sized televisions or alternative brands within the same budget range, reflecting heightened price sensitivity in the market.

According to him, sales momentum was stronger in the lower segment, while higher-end products saw comparatively slower movement. Overall customer footfall was also lower than in previous seasons, with fewer walk-in customers despite ongoing lead generation efforts through phone outreach.

In the refrigeration segment, Md Mushfiqur Rahman, head of product for consumer electronics at Fair Electronics, said Bottom Mount (BMF), Top Mount (TMF) and similar vertical refrigerators usually account for the highest sales in the market.

However, he said this year the trend shifted significantly towards chest freezers (deep freezers).

He explained that BMF and TMF refer to standard vertical refrigerators commonly used in households. While these categories typically sell in high volumes, this year their sales were relatively weak, with customer interest largely concentrated on chest freezers throughout the Eid-ul-Azha season.

He added that chest freezers normally see strong demand only in the last three to four days before Eid, but this year demand remained strong from the beginning to the end of the season.

According to him, while BMF and TMF models usually dominate the market, chest freezers accounted for a much larger share of sales this time, with BMF models performing below expectations.

He further said that the sales target for Bottom Mount refrigerators was not achieved. In contrast, chest freezers saw strong demand, with suppliers reporting short supply in the market, and available products were largely sold out due to strong customer response.

Md Abdullah-Al-Zunaid, chief business officer of Walton Home and Kitchen Appliances, said the company is currently aligned with its sales targets.

He said overall performance has been positive, with sales continuing up to the last day before Eid, and the company is in a growth position of approximately 30 percent plus compared to last year.

Washing machines and ovens consistently perform well with steady demand, he said, adding that for Eid-ul-Azha specifically, blenders see peak demand due to their use in preparing spices, while pressure cookers also perform strongly as they are used for cooking meat quickly.

He further noted that cookware products are also performing well this year, while other product categories continue in their normal sales pattern.

Mahmudul Islam Raz, brand manager of Rangs eMart, said sales of home appliances and electronic products showed some improvement in the final working days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

He said many customers had left Dhaka earlier for the long holiday, which likely affected showroom traffic and sales, adding that sales activity remained slow throughout the season, and the situation in the last few days could have been better if demand had picked up earlier.

He added that broader economic and external factors, including high inflation, the US-Israeli war on Iran, and recent political changes, had affected consumer sentiment and purchasing behaviour.

Nurul Afser, deputy managing director of Electro Mart Group, said sales of electronics and home appliances ahead of Eid-ul-Azha were significantly lower than expectations due to high inflation and weak consumer sentiment.

He said showroom footfall remained below normal levels, with many customers in different parts of the country prioritising sacrificial animal purchases and cutting back on discretionary spending.

Sales were around 15 to 20 percent lower compared to a typical Eid-ul-Azha season, although there was a slight improvement in the last few days before Eid, he added.