Development Of Internet Celebrity Umbrellas

Internet celebrity umbrellas are sought after. But why are there few Jinjiang umbrella companies that make internet celebrity umbrellas?

In the pursuit of individualized consumption today, batches of internet celebrity umbrellas have been sought after by people. These personalized umbrellas either break through the convention in shape, or are different from the tradition in material selection. In terms of promotion, these online celebrity umbrellas are also different from traditional umbrellas, relying more on e-commerce, self-media, and short videos for spreading.

The popular online celebrity umbrella makes Jinjiang Umbrella Enterprises fascinated, but few of them really try. Behind the enterprise's concerns, Jinjiang Umbrella Enterprise's various shortcomings in industrial supporting, channel coverage, and business management model are highlighted.

1.Popular Online Celebrity Umbrella

May 19th is China Tourism Day. On the day, one Jinjiang Umbrella Industry held an exhibition in WuDianShi, Jinjiang, where the company’s online celebrity umbrella product-transparent umbrella was on display.

"This time we exhibited a classic item of our company's online celebrity umbrella. This transparent umbrella has a strong sense of fashion, which does not shade or obscure the user's appearance, and is very suitable for girls. On the day of the exhibition, there were many tourists are looking for us to buy it.” said Mr. Ma, the owner of a traditional umbrella factory in Jinjiang.

With the popularity of smart-phones and the rise of short videos, some umbrellas of different shapes have gained super popularity on the Internet, such as transparent bird cage umbrellas, small black umbrellas, striped umbrellas, solid color umbrellas, high-end umbrellas with animal umbrella heads, etc. These popular umbrellas are vividly called "internet celebrity umbrellas" by the industry. It may be the small black umbrella that makes the local umbrella companies feel the huge energy of the "net celebrity umbrella" for the first time.

In 2013, first double-layer small black umbrella series in BANANAUNDER was launched. The product featured in"double-layer umbrella canopy + L.R.C coating", and it became an instant hit when it was launched on the market. According to people familiar with the industry, on the days of last year's "5•20" and "11.11", the sales of BANANAUNDER black umbrella’s network sales volume were in eight figures. The sales volume is 3 million, second only to the paradise umbrella in China.

Another comparison of data is more intuitive. Judging from the highest-selling umbrella on the official website of BANANAUNDER and Paradise Umbrella, the highest sales volume of BANANAUNDER each month is at 40,000pcs, while that of Paradise is 77,000pcs. The monthly sales of BANANAUNDER is only half of Paradise, but the former is priced at $30, the latter is $5. The former’s sales account are more than twice the latter.

2.Pioneers and Spectators

The detonation of the online celebrity umbrella has attracted the attention of local umbrella companies. But there are only a few umbrella companies that really get involved.

Septrainbow®, umbrella manufacturers from Xiamen is one of them. Recently, Septrainbow made a high-end customized internet celebrity umbrella for US customers. The umbrella handle of this product is animal-shaped or gemstone, and its overall design and craftsmanship process are much more than ordinary products. Correspondingly, the cost of this product is also higher.

"In our original concept, such a unique and beautiful product can be sold popular, but in fact, many people are consuming it, and the popularity is far beyond our expectations." said Chou, sales manager of Septrainbow.

Perhaps to catch the market opportunity of Internet celebrity umbrellas, Septrainbow have setted up a separate department to operate this high-end customized umbrella & personalized umbrellas in 2018. Chou told the reporters that Septrainbow has newly developed some more personalized umbrella heads and umbrella patterns design, and is considering using Internet celebrities and some new communication channels to promote high-end products of our own brands.

In fact, not only Septrainbow, but also many local umbrella companies in Xiamen are considering trying to promote Internet celebrity umbrellas. However, only a few people actually put it into practice.

3.Short Board Behind

On the surface, the uncertainty of the future volume of Internet celebrity umbrellas is an important reason why Jinjiang umbrella companies have been unable to act although they heartbeat. However, through this surface, the current shortcomings of Jinjiang Umbrella Industry are the root cause of insufficient corporate confidence.

According to Mr. Ma, although the profit of the internet celebrity umbrella with animal umbrella head is several times that of conventional products, but it also encounters some difficulties in the process. On one hand, the original production line is not suitable for the production of this product, and a new production line needs to be reorganized; on the other hand, the processing of various animal-shaped umbrella heads of high-end custom umbrellas is mostly in Shenzhen and Xiamen, and this type of production is less involved in the local area. There are obvious shortcomings in the production process.

"Take electroplating as an example. The umbrella heads and umbrella frames of high-end customized umbrellas require a higher electroplating process. At present, the local electroplating process does not meet the requirements." When it comes to this, Mr. Ma feels helpless.

The lack of production capacity is not the only shortcoming. Another shortcoming is also prominent-the solidification of the business management model.

Umbrella Enterprise in DongShi, Jinjiang, has been getting foreign trade orders for a long time, and is accustomed to large-order and its production mode. Production is arranged according to orders. All production materials need to be custom made, which bring the long production time period and cannot keep up with the market's response. Some of the orders for online celebrity umbrellas need to be made in one week or less. This is something most Jinjiang umbrella companies cannot do.

"At the same time, the amount of online celebrity umbrellas is generally not large, and some even only have a few hundred pieces. For the long-term foreign trade of Dongshi umbrella companies, an order of 100,000 pieces is commonplace. Taking such small orders is a waste of resources.” said Mr. Ma.

Industry insiders pointed out that most of the umbrella companies in Jinjiang are large-scale production of foreign orders, and there are hundreds of workers. Net celebrity umbrellas require fewer workers. Not only the cost of molds involved are higher, but workers are also less willing to change the works back and forth. As a factory-type enterprise, in addition to increasing sales, they must also consider long-term workers and orders. From this perspective, Dongshi's umbrella company has no any advantage in receiving small orders. In contrast, Umbrella manufacturers in Xiamen are more innovative and pioneering, especially in research and development.

Another shortcoming that cannot be ignored is the channel, or online channel. Most of the online celebrity umbrellas are sold online, and online is a relatively weak link for local umbrella companies.

"In terms of marketing, from traditional retail to e-commerce to social and new media, the evolution is too fast. The rapid evolution of the consumer side is the reason why we quit e-commerce. As long as we fail to keep up, we will be thrown away. "In the view of Mr.Ma. The sales side is always changing. There is no trick to eat all over the world, but to constantly adapt and try new things. How long can short videos last? It is difficult to predict where it will detonate. This is an important reason why local umbrella companies have not been able to spread online channels.

4.To promote the beneficial and abolish the harmful, no destroy no stand out

"Dongshi" is the only industrial cluster that has been awarded the "Umbrella Capital of China". They are proud of the complete industrial chain and the outstanding performance of local enterprises in the international market.

Time has changed. The various umbrella production areas across the country are undergoing changes. Zhejiang, Henan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong are all developing continuously. According to industry Senor, Dongshi production area is declining in the share of the global foreign trade market. Under the situation of weak export sales, the domestic consumer market is also quietly changing. It can be seen that there is also a lot of room for development in the country, and there is still demand for consumption to be tapped.

At present, with the support of technological progress and the popularization of smartphones, with the promotion of e-commerce, with the popularity of channels such as self-media and short videos such as Tik Tok and Watermelon Video, some umbrellas have gained high popularity. Into the public’s attention, this also indicates that there are new opportunities for domestic brand-making. 

There are opportunities. Jinjiang's umbrella companies also have considerable strength. The key lies in whether the business owners have the determination, whether they have courage to change themselves, changing their thinking and mode. Only in this way, in the current era of faster change and higher requirements, Jinjiang umbrella can gain more market space.

https://www.diyumbrellas.com/news/development-of-internet-celebrity-umbrellas-37217781.html