Samsung to exit China home appliance sales amid shrinking market share

Samsung Electronics is planning to withdraw from China's home appliance and television sales market, in a move that reflects intensifying competition and the growing dominance of domestic brands.

According to a report by Nikkei, the South Korean tech giant is expected to make a final decision as early as the end of April to stop domestic sales of home appliances and TVs in China. The company will gradually clear its existing inventory and aims to fully exit the market by this year.

The move would mark 34 years since Samsung entered China's home appliance market in 1992.

As part of the adjustment, Samsung is expected to shift its business focus toward semiconductors and smartphones, while continuing to manufacture products such as refrigerators and washing machines in China. These facilities will be repositioned as export-oriented production bases, the report said.

"For Samsung, focusing on high-value-added businesses like AI smartphones and semiconductors is a rational choice rather than continuing to invest resources in a market with low market share," a source from the tech industry was quoted as saying by The Chosun Daily, a major South Korean newspaper.

Samsung's retreat is widely seen as a result of declining market share and profitability in China's highly competitive consumer electronics market. Data from Chinese research firm RUNTO showed that China's TV shipments reached 32.89 million units in 2025, with overseas brands accounting for fewer than 1 million units.

The trend is also evident in the broader home appliance sector. According to data from market information platform AVC Revo, China's home appliance retail market (excluding 3C products) totaled 893.1 billion yuan in 2025, with domestic giants Midea, Haier and Gree together accounting for more than 62 percent of the market share.

As of press time, Samsung has not issued an official response to the report.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn