日本国内において、ハイアールは「新生活向け小型家電」カテゴリーでトップクラスのポジションを獲得しました。しかし少子高齢化の進行により「新生活向け小型家電市場の縮小」が懸念され、規模を中期的に拡大させるには中・大型家電カテゴリーでのシェア拡大や冷凍庫市場の確立が必要であった。日本市場では大手ナショナルブランドが流通を抑えており、中・大型家電カテゴリーに参入しても、流通の反発が強く推奨が得られない状況

Haier has achieved a top position in the category of "small home appliances for new lifestyles" in the domestic market of Japan. However, concerns have been raised about the shrinking market for small home appliances due to the aging population and declining birth rate. In order to expand its scale in the medium term, it was necessary for Haier to increase its market share in the medium and large home appliance categories and establish a presence in the freezer market.

In the Japanese market, major national brands have controlled distribution, and Haier faced strong resistance and lack of support when trying to enter the medium and large home appliance categories. To overcome this situation, Haier introduced "online customer service," which allows efficient and simultaneous customer service across multiple stores with a small number of staff. The timing coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, making it difficult to have face-to-face interactions with customers in physical stores. The virtual face-to-face customer service provided by online platforms was highly valued by the distribution network, contributing to the introduction of medium and large categories in stores and the establishment of freezer sections, which were previously challenging issues.

In summary, Haier's introduction of online customer service, which allows efficient and simultaneous customer service across multiple stores, has helped overcome the resistance from the distribution network and contributed to the expansion of its market share in the medium and large home appliance categories and the establishment of freezer sections.