Asian Consumers Boost Gadget Sales
Move aside American consumer. Asian consumers, particularly Chinese, are the ones buying up consumer electronics these days.
Tech companies are enjoying stronger-than-expected demand for things like laptop computers, smartphones and LCD TVs thanks in part to Asian consumers. While markets and tech companies are bracing for a drop-off in European consumer demand, Asian consumers remain shop-happy. China, not the U.S., is poised to be the biggest consumer of LCD TVs this year, fund managers say.
According to market researcher DisplaySearch Chinese LCD TV sales are on track to grow 35 percent this year. Japan has also been a surprisingly hot market, as consumers upgrade to newer, energy-efficient LCD TV models – shipments in Japan are expected to rise 36 percent this year, three times faster than other developed markets like North America and Western Europe.
