In recent years, washing machines of Mexican origin have become more important in terms of the amount purchased, since from January to September 2012 they accounted for 15% of total regional imports and for the same period in 2020 the proportion rose to 26%.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"].
Between July and October 2020, the number of people in Guatemala looking online for options to buy a coffee machine increased by 87%, while the number of Salvadoran consumers looking to buy a vacuum cleaner decreased by 60%.
CentralAmericaData's interactive platform, Consumer Insights, monitors in real time changes in consumer habits in all markets in the region and in other Latin American countries, with fundamental information to understand their behavior, new trends and anticipate eventual changes in their purchasing patterns.
More than 4 million people in the region are looking to buy appliances online, and 19% of these consumers are exploring options for purchasing climate control equipment.
The interactive information system developed by CentralAmericaData, monitors in real time the changes in consumer habits in all markets of the region, with fundamental information to understand the new commercial environment that has emerged in an accelerated manner.
Appliances that connect to the Internet and can be controlled remotely using a cell phone are gaining ground in the Costa Rican market because they can help improve consumer habits.
According to distributors, customers decide to buy this type of appliance because its frequent use generates information that serves consumers to get the best out of the appliances.
From January to November 2018, imports of household appliances in Nicaragua totaled $106 million, 35% less than reported in the same period of the previous year.
Between the first eleven months of 2017 and the same period in 2018, foreign purchases of household appliances fell from $164 million to $106 million, according to the most current figures from the Central Bank of Nicaragua.
The Central American countries imported washing machines and their parts for $29 million between January and March 2018, and 70% were bought by companies in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama.
Figures from the information system of the Laundry Machines Market and its Parts in Central America, from the Trade Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
The decrease of 5% registered in 2017 with respect to the previous year was explained by a 23% and 9% fall in the import of monitors and refrigerators, respectively.
In contrast to the behavior of imports of monitors and refrigerators, washing machines and radio and television broadcasting devices showed increases of 23% and 17%, respectively.
Between January and September 2017, Central American countries imported $102 million worth of washing machines and parts, 7% more than in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Washing Machinesand their its Parts in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
Between January and June 2017 the region imported $64 million worth of washing machines and parts, and 48% of the value purchased came from the US and Mexico.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Washing Machines and their Parts in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graph"]
Between January and September of this year, imports of durable consumer goods such as televisions, washing machines, refrigerators and telephones dropped by 10% compared to the same period in 2016.
Figures from the Central Bank show that in the first nine months of the year purchases of televisions abroad went down by 53% compared to the same period in 2016.The case of washing machines is similar, with imports of these items going down 46% in the same period.
In 2016 imports of washing machines and their parts in Guatemala totaled $27 million, 10% more than the previous year.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Washing Machines and their Parts in Guatemala, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
In 2016 imports of washing machines and their parts in Honduras totaled $14 million, 13% more than in the previous year.
Figures from the information system on the Market for Washing Machines and their Parts in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAPHIC caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
In 2016 Central American countries imported $27 million worth of washing machines and parts from China, 14% more than in 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Washing Machine Market and its Parts in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic para interactuar con la gráfica"]