China's Shanghai, Jiangsu boost home appliance sales with trade-in program

Shanghai and Jiangsu Province in eastern China have seen surge in household appliance and furniture sales with the implementation of the expanded trade-in program, bolstered by a variety of subsidies including government incentives.

In Shanghai, a residential community service station offers a range of top-selling new home appliances, allowing residents to conveniently trade in old items and purchase the latest products right at their doorstep, eliminating the need to visit physical stores.

"My door lock is broken, so I want to buy a new one. It's convenient here because we don't have to go to a physical store. There's also a promotion going on here, so the prices are reasonable," said a resident.

Beyond selling new home appliances, the service station also provides a range of services such as appliance cleaning and home renovation, offering residents a convenient one-stop solution for household needs.

Resident Zhang Yue has booked an air conditioner cleaning service at the station. Her morning appointment ensures the cleaning will be completed in the afternoon.

"As it is about to get hot soon, I have decided to have the air conditioner in my kid's room cleaned first. The service is really thorough," Zhang said.

At the beginning of this year, Shanghai launched six major initiatives aimed at boosting consumption, with a particular emphasis on supporting the replacement of old home appliances and furniture.

Aligned with the expanded categories of home appliances eligible for government subsidies, the city has incorporated quality-of-life appliances such as garment care machines and floor washers into the extended-trade-in program. This initiative not only caters to consumers' diverse needs, but also stimulates sales growth for related products.

"Our sales of robotic vacuum cleaners, floor scrubbers, and vacuum cleaners collectively are expected to increase by around 300 percent," said Zhao Hongfu, manager of a home appliance store in Changning District, Shanghai.

As subsidy-eligible categories continue to expand, green smart home appliances featuring cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things have emerged as consumer favorites.

An example is the AI-powered smart washing machine at an appliance store in Huai'an City, east China's Jiangsu Province. Combining comprehensive functionality with competitive pricing, it has become one of the store's hottest products.

"This time, the trade-in program is particularly generous, saving me nearly over 1,000 yuan (around 136 U.S. dollars), which is quite cost-effective. The washing machine can also be controlled via a mobile phone, making it very convenient," said Zhang Erhong, a resident in Huai'an.

A wave of AI-powered smart home appliances has flooded the market, offering consumers more intelligent and premium products and services. Retailers have partnered with manufacturers to launch multiple subsidy programs, delivering tangible savings directly to consumers.

"In addition to the government subsidies, the store also provides bundle purchase incentives, offering a maximum subsidy of up to 2,000 yuan (around 273 U.S. dollars) per item. Recently, the store has experienced a notable surge in appliance sales, especially in smart home appliances, with a more pronounced growth in sales volume," said Liu Xiaoping, a saleswoman at the appliance store.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Commerce, from the beginning of this year until Tuesday, consumers have purchased 35.709 million units of 12 major categories of home appliances through the trade-in program, driving sales of 124.74 billion yuan (around 19.6 billion U.S. dollars).

China's Shanghai, Jiangsu boost home appliance sales with trade-in program

China's Shanghai, Jiangsu boost home appliance sales with trade-in program

Even as a possible end to hostilities looms on the horizon, families in the southern Iranian city of Minab are still mourning their children killed by a strike on the first day of U.S.-Israeli attacks on the country on February 28.

The Shajareh Tayyiba school, where the attack occurred, now stands as a damaged and silent reminder of the lives lost. Much of the school remains in ruins, with classrooms where students once studied now empty. Among those killed were students, teachers and school staff, including the school's vice principal.

Outside the damaged classrooms, families returned Friday to remember the children they lost.

"I am the mother of these two boys, Ahmadreza and Javad. One was in the second grade and the other in the fifth grade. I took this photo on their first day of school, here at this same school. This was their classroom, which is now destroyed. When I come here, I remember the days when I used to pick them up and they were playing. But today I come here and there is no trace of them," said Raheleh Chamli Zadeh, a bereaved mother.

Parents recalled the day of the strike as one of chaos and terror, as families rushed toward the school and hospitals searching for their loved ones.

"That day was a very difficult day and a very bitter tragedy. When we arrived, we saw that the hospital, the streets, and the school were all filled with smoke, fire and dust. It was very terrifying," said Fateme Shaeri, another bereaved mother.

Some families said they never found the complete bodies of their loved ones, while others still struggled to speak about what they experienced that day.

"I kept looking for my children, I kept searching for them everywhere. I hoped I would bring them out alive, but I couldn't. That day was different," said Ali Salari, a bereaved father and grandfather.

Months later, the destroyed school remains a painful landmark for families in Minab -- a place where children once studied, and where many parents said their lives changed forever.

Families still mourn children killed by strike on first day of U.S.-Israeli attacks