By Rieva Lesonsky
One of the most popular categories of products sold during March Expo is consumer electronics. And no wonder, since American consumers become more attached to their digital devices every day. According to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the parent company of CES, sales in the U.S. consumer technology industry should hit “record sales of $351 billion this year, up nearly 4% from 2017. And about 15% of all e-commerce sales will be from digital goods, reports Statista.
With numbers like that, of course you want to get your share. Before you can sell consumers electronics, you need to source them. And there’s no better place to look than Shenzhen, China, a city of 20 million people that manufactures more consumer electronics than any other city on Earth. In fact, in Shenzhen the new digital landscape that has been created is so vibrant, that the city is known to many as the “Jungle of Digital Products.”
Overall, there are more than 58,000 suppliers participating in Alibaba.com’s March Expo, a month-long sale, highlighting special promotions, discounts and deals, from those suppliers and itself.
Meet the digital suppliers
Too see what some of the digital products’ suppliers in Shenzhen are up to, check out this video from Alibaba.com. It’s part of the Discover Today video series
The first company we meet is Wanshuntong Science and Technology (WST). WST is a highly-successful manufacturer (and supplier) of mobile phone accessories. They make a variety of digital products, but are renowned for being the leading power bank (portable chargers) manufacturer.
WST prides itself on the high-quality of the products it makes and has a rigorous quality assurance testing program. WST’s power banks have a scratch-resistant texture covering and come in various colors and capacities. Some have the capacity to charge a laptop, which is extraordinary. They also make an eight-power-bank power station, which is perfect for SMEs to sell to hotels and hospitals.
VR/AR
One of the hottest digital technologies is the rise of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). As we saw at CES, products that serve both technologies are in demand, according to Accenture’s Annual Digital Consumer Survey. Many experts believe that while VR will continue to grow, AR will see the more “explosive” growth.
One company that can attest to the popularity of VR and AR is Shinecon, which is located just outside of Shenzhen. Shinecon makes VR and AR headsets, remote controls, glasses and other digital products, such as mobile accessories. Quality control is quite important at Shinecon, since one VR headset consists of more than 200 pieces—and they make more than 1,200 headsets a day.
Shinecon CEO Andy Yang says the “younger generation is pushing us” to keep innovating and producing what’s next. Yang says, “AR is the future,” but he also envisions the day that VR will “change our lives.” Shinecon is cooperating with content companies, helping provide educational information about VR and AR.
Drones and smart speakers
Of course drones are also in high demand. At CES PC Magazine said, the “consumer drone market has largely consolidated” around DJI drones, which come from Shenzhen Liyang Welding Equipment Co., Ltd.
Consumers are also scooping up smart speakers and voice assistants. The CTA estimates 44 million smart speakers will be sold this year. Many of these are made in Shenzhen.
Best deals during March Expo
There are lots of bargains and discounts available from companies like WST, Shinecon and others during March Expo. Make sure you check out the action on Alibaba.com and the Alibaba.com mobile app from now through March 31.
March Expo showcases the world of global trade between SMEs in the U.S. (and all over the world) and the suppliers and manufacturers from cities like Shenzhen.
Stay up-to-date about the opportunities at March Expo by following @AlibabaTalk and the #DiscoverNewMarch hashtag on social media.
