With product launch and market nurturing done by industry innovators, is it possible for latecomers to follow up and share the bonus? Shark shows its textbook-like innovation and marketing.
Dyson cordless hand-held vacuum proved a global hit and drove the cordless vacuum market into a yearly two-digit growth. Shark, as its rival, will surely not let this market slip. It launched a similar model.
The new arrival resembles Dyson counterpart seen from the outside, while averting Dyson’s patents in appearance and structure design.
These minor slight exterior alternations are not enough to show differentiation or stand out.
First, let’s take a look at several defect spots with Dyson V8:
1. Dyson V8 as well as V10 fails to stand up on itself after used. It has to be against a wall or hung on a fixed seat.
2. Nailing on the wall seems necessary before fixing the charging base. To put product in a fixed place appears unappealing to Chinese.
3. To reach dead corners under the bed and couch, you have to bend downward.
4. The floor brush head blocks large-grained particles, a soft spot attacked constantly by such rivals as Hoover and Bissell in commercials after Dyson DC44 emerged.
5. Battery lifecycle. Dyson V8 adopts non-removable built-in battery that features duration of 40 minutes in low gear position and 8 minutes or so in high one.
After collecting these complaints, it is quite clear what possible improvements are.
1. Automatic stand-up
2. Fixation without nailing on the wall
3. Reaching and cleaning bed bottom without bending
4. Ability to clear all sizes of particles
Shark S9, termed IonFlex overseas, highlights ingeniously invented folding adapter pipe (the only provider of this). Its double brush heads make Free Standing possible, and double batteries help extend product life span.
1. Better single-use performance is achieved with double brush heads. With lack of either floor brush or bent arm, Free Standing is not possible, or in case of a floor brush not large enough. Duo Clean remains the core function of Shark vacuums.
2. Folding bent arm is a genius design, which enables Free Standing combined big enough floor brush. As I know, it is made by Jinhua Chunguang Technology.
Free Standing makes possible smaller size and cleaning of bottom couch and corners.
The two-section folding bent pipe is not totally made of aluminum.
The section closer to the frame is plastic and colorful stickers——not for cost saving, but for folding. That impressed me a lot.
Adapter pipe was also featured by Midea P75, a model that is actually retractable in a limited way .
This LG model also adopts retractable adapter pipe.
Others including TEK, LEXY, Puppy, ROIDMI have not made breakthrough in this.
3. The third kernel design is removable battery. There is no possibility to improve capacity of a single battery, so only lowering motor power or lifting battery quantity allows longer lifecycle. Dyson V10 duration is extended to so-called 60 minutes, thanks to lower power in the lower gear position. Some complained, however, it failed to drive electric floor brush. This is just for good-looking data.
Double-battery design now applies widely. Shark S9 is known for its charging base, with which, two batteries can be charged at the same time.
That extends Shark model duration to 60 minutes, and duration in highest gear position to 20 minutes.
4. It uses 80000 rpm motor of Nidec, a brushless vacuum motor maker second only to Dyson. Now it possibly reaches 10-11 rpm.
After its arrival, Shark centered its market strategies on these aspects
The screenshots shown below are from official commercials of Shark Ionflex:
At the beginning, it challenged old rival Hoover for poor cleaning of large particles
Then it pointed out Dyson V8 model can only stand against the wall, no free standing after use
It mentioned Hoover model can merely be hung on the wall
Then it exhibited features of Shark:
Ability to clear out large particles
Ability to clean corners under the bed
Double batteries allow using and charging at the same time
Position setting at will
It challenged Dyson V8 on its official website as always. Strangely this time no direct comparison was made in its official TV commercials.
Hearsay tens of millions of dollars were used in marketing of this model. Let’s compare keywords trends of Shark Ionflex and Dyson V8, V10 in America via Google Trends.
As shown below, Dyson V8 leads in popularity in diverse states.
Resulting from these innovations, this model is a little heavier than Dyson V8. It is a bit hard to be lifted with a single hand. Some said Shark is developing a smaller cordless hand-held product. But to make it, double brush heads have to be moved and Free Standing will be unavailable. Then what is the new selling point?
As to vacuum innovation, Shark S9 (IonFlex) has explored each and every possibility. Next improvement can only be about motor and controller of circuit board. A hearsay is that Shark has been looking for motor development personnel in ways to grasp core technology of motor.
Now this Shark model is posed to enter China. It is a pity we can’t see CEO Mark Rosenweig challenge rivals on commercials restricted by China’s Law of advertising.
