heater

Traditionally winter is the peak season for the sale of electric heaters. Findings of a survey on the consumption of household appliances in Chinese cities in 2001 reflect a southward shift of the market, with consumer demand showing a faster growth in areas along the Yangtze River. The main reason is that cities in this region generally do not have central heating but have cold and humid winters. Market demand is quite small in the northern cities by comparison because they usually have central heating and electric heaters are only used for supplementary heating. Driven by the strong demand, sales have been growing at an annual rate of 10％ in recent years. The survey also indicates that urban demand for electric heaters will continue to grow in the coming year, with total sales estimated to reach 1.4 million units. Demand will mainly come from cities where central heating is not common or where heaters are used for supplementary heating. Local brands basically dominate the market. There are many brands available, but they are mostly produced by small local enterprises. Different brands do not differ much in functions, prices and style since heaters are low-tech products.