Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising videos
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Recession has compounded difficulties of mature market
- With recession, consumers cut back on professional cleaning services
- Strongest growth in sticks and steams
- Uprights on the decline
- Handhelds suffer from lack of support
- Sticks outperforming in recession: 7% growth in 2009
- Steam on the rise
- Mass merchandisers dominant retail channel, with share increasing
- Drivers: economic downturn, housing market, hard surfaces, green trends
- TTI, Electrolux, Dyson and Bissell lead
- Innovations range from “eco-friendly” to re-vamped product lines
- TV ads showcase diverse strategies
- Half own multiple vacs, one in four plan to buy in next year
- Consumers buy about once in five years
- Replacement of broken machine still the #1 reason for purchase
- Most consumers open to the full range of brands on offer
- Decision process primarily occurs in-store
- Asians and Hispanics warrant focus
Insights and Opportunities
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- Showcase money-saving relative to professional services
- POP marketing focus for low-end, TV and online for high end
- Outreach to key consumer groups
- Baby Boomers and seniors
- Households with children
Inspire Insights
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- Snack Society
- Implications for the market
- Sensitive to allergies
- Education on HEPA filtration
- Implication for the market: the rise of steam, UV, and hard floor cleaners
- Greenfluencers
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Growth limited under heavy price pressure
- Recession limits spend but also offers opportunities
- Innovation, Hispanics, Boomers to play roles in future growth
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- Figure 1: U.S. sales and forecast of vacuums at current prices, 2004-14
- Figure 2: Total U.S. sales and forecast of vacuums at inflation adjusted prices, 2004-14
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Consumers cut back on residential cleaning services
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- Figure 3: Changes in use of cleaning services in the past 12 months, March 2009
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- Figure 4: Uses cleaning service at least once a month, by household income, August 2009
- Cut backs in professional rug-cleaning spur demand for steam cleaners
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- Figure 5: Changes in use of upholstery cleaning services in the past 12 months, March 2009
Segment Performance
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- Key points
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- Figure 6: U.S. sales of vacuums, by segment, 2007 and 2009
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- Figure 7: U.S. sales and forecast of vacuums, by segment, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Uprights
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- Key points
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- Figure 8: U.S. sales and forecast of uprights, in current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Handhelds
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- Key points
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- Figure 9: U.S. sales and forecast of handhelds, in current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Sticks
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- Key points
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- Figure 10: U.S. sales and forecast of sticks, in current prices, 2004-14
Segment Performance—Steam Cleaners
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- Key points
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- Figure 11: U.S. sales and forecast of steam cleaners, in current prices, 2004-14
Retail Channels
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- Key points
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- Figure 12: Sales of vacuums, by retail channel, 2006-08
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Consumer confidence falls in 2008 and remains weak in 2009
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- Figure 13: University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment (ICS), 2001-09
- Figure 14: University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment (ICS), January-October 2009
- Consumers limit “replacements” and discretionary purchases
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- Figure 15: Changes or plans to change HH spending, March 2009
- Some silver lining to the broader downturn
- Homeownership drives vacuum ownership
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- Figure 16: Cleaning appliance ownership, by home ownership, April 2008-June 2009
- Low-demand housing market a negative driver
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- Figure 17: Sales of new and existing homes, 2003-08
- Improvements seen in housing sales in 2009
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- Figure 18: Sales of new and existing homes, January-September 2009
- “Green living” shapes demand for new products
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- Figure 19: Belief that purchases carry consequences and efforts to reduce chemical exposure, October 2008
- Trends in flooring surfaces negative for market
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- Figure 20: Vacuum cleaner ownership, by carpeting in the home and by type, August 2009
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Brand of most recent purchase
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- Figure 21: Brand of most recently acquired vacuum, August 2009
- Bissell
- Dyson
- Electrolux
- Eureka
- Electrolux
- Euro-Pro
- TTI
- Hoover
- Dirt Devil
- iRobot
- Smaller players
- Black & Decker
- Aerus
- Bosch
- Emer
- Kirby
- Matsushita (Panasonic)
- Miele
- Oreck
- Sanyo
Innovation and Innovators
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- Key points
- Bissell’s new eco-friendly “Healthy Home” offerings
- Bissell: more recycled material in Green Little Green and SpotBot ProHeat
- Dirt Devil: Innovations in handhelds and sticks
- Dyson: Turbinehead canisters, AirMuscle, and limited edition Blueprint
- Euro-Pro’s Steam Pocket Mop and affordable, bagless Navigator
- Electrolux launches first bagless upright and offers eco-friendly canisters
- Hoover launches two new product lines
- iRobot’s new Pet Series
- Oreck’s Halo UV: unique, eco-friendly, sanitizing properties
- Oreck’s Steam-It Wand: Eco-friendly, all-purpose
- Innovations in online marketing
Advertising and Promotion
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- Key points
- Bissell’s Pet Hair Eraser hones in on pet lovers
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- Figure 22: Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Vacuum, 2009
- Dyson ball: fast, effective and modern
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- Figure 23: Dyson Ball Vacuum Ad, 2009
- Electrolux’s Versatility empowers savvy, multi-tasking moms
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- Figure 24: Electrolux Versatility Vacuum Ad, 2009
- Euro-Pro offers affordable alternative to Dyson
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- Figure 25: Euro-Pro Shark Navigator Ad, 2009
- Hoover uses humor to highlight Platinum’s effectiveness
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- Figure 26: Hoover Platinum Collection Ad, 2009
- Oreck’s Halo UV shown killing mold, bacteria and viruses
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- Figure 27: Oreck Halo UV Ad, 2009
Household Penetration
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- Key points
- Room for growth in handhelds and electric brooms in older HHs
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- Figure 28: Cleaning appliance ownership, by age, April 2008-June 2009
- Income drives ownership
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- Figure 29: Cleaning appliance ownership, by household income, April 2008-June 2009
- HHs with children support carpet cleaners/shampooers
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- Figure 30: Cleaning appliance ownership, by marital status and children in HH, April 2008-June 2009
Number of Vacuums Owned and Intent to Purchase
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- Key points
- Most HHs own multiple vacuums
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- Figure 31: Number of vacuums owned, August 2009
- One quarter of respondents intend to purchase in year ahead
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- Figure 32: Number of types of vacuums intending to purchase, August 2009
- Younger consumers most likely to be planning purchase
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- Figure 33: Number of vacuums intending to purchase, by age, August 2009
- HHs with children planning more purchases
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- Figure 34: Number of vacuums intending to purchase, by marital status and children in HH, August 2009
Spend on Most Recent Vacuum
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- Key points
- Over-45s spend more
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- Figure 35: Spend on most recent purchase, by age, August 2009
- Spend higher among HHs without children, married couples
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- Figure 36: Spend on most recent purchase, by HH income, marital status and children in HH, August 2009
Date of Most Recent Purchase
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- Key points
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- Figure 37: Years since most recent purchase, by age and household characteristics, August 2009
Interest in Added Features
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- Key points
- Age drives interest in bagless, Roomba, energy-savings
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- Figure 38: Interest in step-up features, by age, August 2009
- Upper-income HHs positive towards HEPA, Roomba, energy savings
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- Figure 39: Interest in step-up features, by household income, August 2009
Reasons for Purchase
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- Key points
- Replacement motivates half of purchases
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- Figure 40: Reasons for buying last vacuum, August 2009
- 18-34-year-olds more likely to seek step-up features
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- Figure 41: Reasons for buying last vacuum, by age, August 2009
- High-income HHs most likely to seek step-up features
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- Figure 42: Reasons for buying last vacuum, by household income, August 2009
The Brand Selection Process
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- Key points
- Brand and age
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- Figure 43: Brand of most recently acquired vacuum, by age, August 2009
- Income shapes choice
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- Figure 44: Brand of most recently acquired vacuum, by household income, August 2009
- Most look at variety of brands
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- Figure 45: Vacuum cleaner brand selection process, by age, August 2009
- Upper-income households more selective in terms of brands
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- Figure 46: Vacuum cleaner brand selection, by household income, August 2009
- Those with children do more research into brands
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- Figure 47: Vacuum cleaner brand selection process, by marital status and children in HH, August 2009
Purchasing Attitudes and Choices
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- Key points
- In-store marketing focus warranted
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- Figure 48: Research and selection process, by gender, August 2009
- Younger consumers turn to internet, older consumers to TV
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- Figure 49: Research and selection process, by age, August 2009
- Extent and nature of research varies with HH income
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- Figure 50: Research and selection process, by household income, August 2009
- Married with children do the most research, online and in person
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- Figure 51: Research and selection process, by marital status and children in the HH, August 2009
The Impact of Race/Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Hispanics and blacks show lower ownership
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- Figure 52: Cleaning appliance ownership, by race/Hispanic origin, April 2008-June 2009
- Multi-ethnic consumers more likely to be planning purchase
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- Figure 53: number of vacuums intending to purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Hispanics purchased last vacuum more recently
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- Figure 54: Years since last purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Blacks spend and plan to spend lowest on average
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- Figure 55: Amount spent on most recent vacuum, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Figure 56: Expected spend on next purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Hispanics and Asians more likely to be making first purchase
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- Figure 57: Reasons for last purchase, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Minorities less familiar with HEPA
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- Figure 58: Interest in step-up features, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Hispanics look at widest range of brands, undertake most research
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- Figure 59: Brand selection process, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
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- Figure 60: Research and purchase selection process, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
Custom Consumer: Behavior of High Spenders
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- Key points
- Turning away from uprights
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- Figure 61: Ownership among high-spenders, August 2009
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- Figure 62: Reasons for buying last vacuum, by high-spenders, August 2009
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- Figure 63: Brand of most recently acquired vacuum, by high-spenders, August 2009
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- Figure 64: Brand selection process among high-spenders, August 2009
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- Figure 65: Research and product selection process among high-spenders, August 2009
Cluster Analysis
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- Upgraders
- Necessities
- Contemplators
- Cluster characteristics
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- Figure 66: Vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
- Figure 67: Spend on most recent vacuum, August 2009
- Figure 68: Attitudes: Pet ownership, allergies, HEPA, bagless, roomba, energy-savings, professional cleaning, by clusters, August 2009
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- Figure 69: Reason for most recent purchase, by vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
- Figure 70: Research undertaken for last purchase, by vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
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- Figure 71: Brand selection process, by vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
- Figure 72: Intent to purchase, by vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
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- Figure 73: Years since most recent purchase, by vacuum cleaner clusters, August 2009
- Cluster demographics
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- Figure 74: Vacuum cleaner clusters, by gender, August 2009
- Figure 75: Vacuum cleaner clusters, by age group, August 2009
- Figure 76: Vacuum cleaner clusters, by income group, August 2009
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- Figure 77: Vacuum cleaner clusters, by Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Cluster methodology
Appendix: Additional Consumer Data Tables
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- Number of vacuums owned
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- Figure 78: number of vacuums owned, by age, August 2009
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- Figure 79: Number of vacuums owned, by household income, August 2009
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- Figure 80: Number of vacuums owned, by race/Hispanic origin, August 2009
- Expected spend on next vacuum
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- Figure 81: Expected spend on next vacuum, by HH income, August 2009
Appendix: Trade Associations
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