Not long ago I found MI electric screw driver available at MI crowdfunding platform. Amazed at the first glance, I did not wait to place the order.
Highlighting a battery of 2000mAh that is superior to 1300-1500mAh mostly seen in the rivals, the model of 3.6V, when fully charged, is powerful enough to tap 180 self-tapping screws or 200 common ones, equivalent to the amount for ten big bookshelves.
Another feature is its patent integrated design. No trace of a screw is found on the whole casing made of quality engineering plastic, highly resistant to heat and shock and not easy to deform.
The rotary knob proves a novelty with three gears, “L” screw-out, “R” screw-in and Middle lock. Three LED lamps form a ring in the front end and light up upon pressing the “On” button, securing a clear sight.
The package includes 12 S2 steel set heads of multiple types with hardness up to HRC60, precise, durable and not easy to screw loose. They are not easy to break as S2 steel excels in toughness, and even if it happens due to improper use, the pieces will not spatter, guaranteeing the safety in household use. It also stands wear and tear, at least 20% longer in service cycle than chrome-vanadium steel.
Soon I received the delivery and shared the product pictures in my WeChat circle of friends. A couple of purchaser friends commented, however, this tool is not for professional.
To make it clear, they are all professional buyers so that their assessments hint whether the model is marketable. For sure this time, their consistent appraisal determines this arrival does not sell well, explicitly overseas.
But anyhow is it a good product?
Usually electric tools are sold to three groups, DIY users, professionals and craftsmen.
Craftsmen: Labor contractors, the self-employed that acquire all varieties of electric tools for work, valuing product quality the most because any problem in this regard seems to bring a heavy hit to their earnings.
Professionals: Construction employers that procure for employees’ use, expecting less than craftsman.
DIY: Consumers that buy for daily use, expecting the least.
Evidently none of them are targeted by this MI model seen from both its design and performance, echoing my friends’ argument that it is not for existing markets.
Instead, the Chinese market is aimed at this time.
Having been long explored by TTI, Stanley Black & Decker and other global brands, such a huge market, however, remains tepid in electric tools, due to the fact that local consumers develop no habit of DIY.
Take myself for example. I was once gifted an electric tool kit, but merely used it twice or three times just to tap screws onto the wall. For users more amateur than DIY like me, the traditional tool kit is too big and all-purpose.
What I want is merely to assembly furniture and the like, tap screws and unscrew vacuum cleaners and something small, easy to store and pleasant to eyes. Hitting my pain spots all at a time, this newcomer proves a success on the MI crowdfunding platform.
Its precise positioning implies great efforts in market survey and it will be a hot seller for sure.
What if it is not MI branded?
That is hard to conclude given that its pain points are actually sort of itching points, not so painful. Similarly, once a compact drill was launched by magnate Positec Group’s brand Worx, but did not sell well.
Unlike cost performance MI simply featured in the past to harvest the market, this drill, if sold well, is likely to nourish a new market segment lighter than traditional DIY. In that sense, the entire industry will benefit.
