Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM NOVEMBER 2016 52 Missy Hodges Appliance Trends Missy Hodges, VP of Appliance and Outdoor at MEGA Group USA. Missy is a 21-year veteran in the appliance industry, having worked at Maytag Corporation before joining MEGA Group USA in 2011. RO THE APPEAL OF HOME CONNECTIVITY: THE JETSONS CARTOON COMES TO LIFE A s a child I vividly remember many Saturdays spent watching the futuristic tale of the Jetson family. Living in space may not have come to be, but many of the far out ideas portrayed have. Smart technology and talking robots were an exaggeration for the cartoon artists at Hanna-Barbera, but engineers today have taken those same ideas and created some pretty amazing things. Today, people are busier than ever before, and we're all looking for things that make life a little bit easier. It's said that 68% of adults in the U.S. have a smartphone, up from 35% since 2011 according to a 2015 study from Pew Research Center. But it's not just millennials who've adopted these devices. 86% of those aged 18-29 have a smartphone, as do 83% of those aged 30-49. Predictions indicate that smartphones, Bluetooth and wearable technology will only increase in popularity and the demand for more connectivity will continue to be a value-add for consumers. HOME CONNECTIVITY IS NOT JUST FOR THE MOST TECH-SAVVY MILLENNIALS Think back on the Jetsons and how mom Judy would push a couple of buttons to whip up breakfast for her family. Well, we may not be able to do that exactly, but consumers today are attracted to devices that they can control from their smartphones and that provide efficiency—from what we use of resources like electricity and water, to saving time. Appliance companies like GE have taken a lead in the connected arena and many of their products can be managed from a mobile app. Consumers can pre-heat an oven, set a timer, receive notifications when laundry hasn't been removed and much more. But, is this really valuable? Yes. Families are so busy with school, extracurricular activities, work and other responsibilities that anything that helps run our homes more efficiently is welcome. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE? We know manufacturers will continue to add products that push the envelope to their line-ups. At the MEGA Fall Show in Nashville, retailers saw Samsung's new smart-panel refrigerator that syncs to a mobile phone, plays music, takes photos of what's inside and more. While not every consumer will use these over-the-top features, it does appeal to premium buyers. The concept of home connectivity will continue to broaden its appeal among more traditional users as they embrace smart technology, and they see the value add that manufacturers work so hard to market. Yes, there will always be a place for the traditional, 'what worked for mom will work for me', but we're entering an exciting time in the appliance industry. Just like the Jetsons, let's not stop imagining what's possible.

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