The back-to-school season after Prime Day will be a prelude to the peak sales season in the second half of the year. In addition to typical back-to-school products such as school supplies, clothing, footwear, and consumer electronics, what other products are a major sales opportunity that Chinese sellers cannot miss?

According to statistics from the National Retail Federation, the US alone reached a market size of 82.8 billion US dollars and more than 500 billion yuan during the 2018 back-to-school season, and among them, electronic technology products were the absolute protagonists of sales and purchases by K12 and university groups. On the corporate buyer side, as a highly standardized product, office electronics are naturally suitable for online sales. Sales of many office electronics products have an annual growth rate of more than double digits on Amazon, and sales will further increase from the original growth during the back to school season, so office electronics products are about to reach a peak in sales.

If you're not familiar with this category, or are just wandering around, let me introduce you to this category with unlimited potential for Chinese sellers — office electronics, and the most important no-hassle compliance guide for peak season sales.

Office electronics products on Amazon mainly include the eight categories of computer peripherals and network equipment products, printers and accessories, telephones and recorders, scanners, projectors and presentation equipment, cash registers, calculators, and shredders. Among them, computer peripherals and network equipment products, printers and accessories sell the most in office electronics, while the fastest growing sales volume is office electronic supplies such as scanners, cash registers, calculators, and paper shredders. Sellers can pay more attention to these products. Next, Xiaobian will also give you a detailed explanation!

Today, desktops and laptops are critical tools for work and study. Corresponsively, with the continuous expansion of demand in the computer market, the demand for computer peripherals and network equipment products is increasing day by day, and it has become one of the most important markets in the technology industry. And this also means that Chinese sellers have ushered in this category of opportunities!

For computer peripherals and network equipment products, corporate buyers usually buy in bulk. If offline supermarkets run out of stock, it is easy to run for nothing. And Amazon Business' corporate pricing and delivery timeliness features can greatly improve their work efficiency. Many smart sellers will set up multiple package combinations, which can not only quickly meet the company's various procurement needs, such as the purchase of long-tail products, but also save a lot of time for corporate buyers to place orders.

Since the US, Japan, and Europe have different requirements for this type of product, sellers can select and prepare products in a targeted manner:

According to relevant data, the European computer market is expected to grow at a rate of 0.6% (CAGR 2017-2020) and reach US$105.2 billion in 2020. Although the European computer market seems to be growing slowly, European consumers' interest in computer peripherals and other portable devices has only increased unabated due to work and life demands.

For British consumers, office electronics such as HDMI high-definition displays, USB to HDMI adapters, HDMI to DVI converters, HDMI ethernet receivers, VGA cables, and handheld fingerprint barcode scanners are getting more attention.

HDMI high-definition displays are popular among British consumers due to their built-in speakers, multiple video inputs (AV, HDMI, BNC, VGA, USB), high sensitivity, and support for audio output and remote control. Among them, the 12-17 inch size is also the most popular.

USB to HDMI adapters are mainly USB3.0 specifications. At the same time, the product can support laptops, desktop computers, and tablets. It is important that they support high-definition resolution, so sellers should pay attention!

HDMI to DVI converter, ONEVER 1080P HDMI to DVI/audio/SPDIF converter adapter with 3.5mm jack for HD projector TV Blu-ray DVD/PS4/Xbox 360, to convert HDMI signal to DVI-I/DVI-D video output and digital SPDIF or 3.5mm audio output.

For HDMI ethernet receivers, consumers require that they can support Sky HD laptop, DVD, PS4, and can also link multiple receivers to the transmitter, and also support HDCP1.2 and HDMI functions, including full HD 1080p, 36-bit deep color, and multi-channel audio formats.

For VGA cables, it is best to choose the type that supports high-resolution LCD cables and LED displays.

The handheld fingerprint barcode scanner is also loved by consumers because of its flexible design of the Android iOS Windows operating system, which can be worn on the finger, back of the hand, or arm and is easy to operate.

For German consumers, they are most concerned about network cards, HDMI extenders, HDMI ethernet receivers, 3.5mm internal control jack to RCA external adapter sets, 2.5MM to 3.5MM stereo to headphone jack adapters, tablet cases, and audio Y adapters.

As far as network cards are concerned, German consumers want them to support Intel, Broadcom, etc. As for the HDMI extender, they want it to be compatible with CATS CATSE/CAT6 CAT6E single LAN cable 100 meters, lossless HD, and no lag.

They also want to be able to connect the phone to any sound system via a 2.5MM to 3.5MM stereo to headphone jack adapter.

Also, they are very concerned about the 3.5 mm internal control jack to RCA external adapter kit.

Audio Y adapter. German consumers usually choose 3.5 mm pin 3 Y splitter with 3.5 mm plug to 2 x 3.5 mm. It is best for two people to use it at the same time. It is widely compatible and can be used by mobile phones, computers, tablets, notebooks, etc.

When they choose a tablet case, they consider whether it fits the Huawei model. The black or gray leather material best suits their preferences.

With the withdrawal of traditional established brands HP, Fujitsu, and Toshiba from some computer market segments, and the introduction of new products (Mini PC, Surface), the demand for computer products from Japanese business buyers has shown changes at different levels in recent years:

First, the upgrade of enterprise computer systems from Win7 to Win10 generated demand for machine purchases, and products with pre-installed Win10 systems became mainstream in the market.

Second, the Google tablet system is speeding up entry into all walks of life and raising the level of electronic office for Japanese domestic companies. According to IDC Japan's market assessment at the end of 2016, demand for tablets pre-installed with Google systems will surge in the manufacturing, financial, and service industries in Japan. Buyers from businesses in these industries are also purchasing through Amazon Business.

As we can see, with system upgrades or industrial upgrades, companies in Japan are bringing about a rapidly growing demand in the computer market. Tower computers are still one of the mainstream office computers in Japan. Therefore, tower computers and tower computer cases are PC options worth trying out. Considering the small space in the Japanese office environment, tower computers are developing in the direction of small towers.

Furthermore, according to the Japanese corporate tax deduction accounting tradition, companies will focus on replacing products belonging to the office “material” procurement category every 1 to 2 years, such as computer keyboard and mouse combinations.

At the same time, along with the popularity of network conferencing equipment and the development of the influencer economy, demand for upgrading computer microphones, new routers and hubs, and public WIFI transmitters is also increasing.

These products showed strong subscription demand in the first half of 2019, so sellers are reminded not only to put more effort into computer products, but also to pay more attention to computer peripheral products where B2B orders are growing rapidly.

The demand for computer peripheral products purchased by American companies is mainly focused on the following product categories: notebook charging power supplies, USB drives, adapters, computer security films, and microphone headsets.

There are many types of printers, and the popular categories mainly include the following five types:

Due to the strong brand dominance of office printer products, it is not easy for third-party sellers to enter. Therefore, sellers can start with other categories such as label printers, receipt printers, etc., thus opening up a different approach in the blue ocean of office electronic products.

Although it is difficult for Chinese sellers to enter the printer category, printing ink/ink cartridges, which are very important spare parts for printers, account for half of the office electronics products, including the four types of original, compatible, remanufactured, and refilled, so sellers can consider choosing compatible inks/cartridges that are both competitive in price and of good quality.

Reminder tips

In the US market, “HP” branded printing cartridges and inks are protected by the Amazon brand. Sellers may not freely sell under the “HP” brand without being duly authorized by “HP”.

Amazon limits the types of ink and toner cartridges sellers can list. To avoid product removal, please note the following requirements:

1. All products, including remanufactured, refilled, and compatible inks or toners, must be in “New” condition.
2. Do not use the same ASIN as the original/OEM ink or toner product.
3. The product must be in unopened retail packaging, and the product image must be accurately described.
4. It must be fully functional, otherwise the printer may become unusable or damage the printer's defects.
5. Custom bundles must be listed on their own ASIN and include images, highlights, and product descriptions.
6. The expiration date shall be printed on the product packaging or product, or on the product packaging and the product at the same time.
7. Products should be reasonably shipped to Amazon Logistics within 180 days before the expiration date.

In addition to the two major types of office electronic products mentioned above, there are also products that have developed rapidly on global sites in recent years. At the same time, the brand orientation for such product selection is not that strong. At the same time, the entry threshold is relatively high, and competition is not that intense. Sellers with such supply chains or brand agents can go online without hesitation.

This type of product includes phones, voice recorders, scanners, projectors, cash registers, calculators, and paper shredders. They are must-buy products for enterprises. The unit price is high for customers, and the probability of repurchase is high. For sellers, products that are easy to access include projectors, communication equipment (telephones, conference calls, telephone headsets), bar code scanners, paper shredders, laminators, cash registers, etc.

It is worth mentioning that at the Japanese site, demand for corporate procurement of projectors, office environment optimization equipment such as air purifiers, and coffee machines in the tea room is also growing several times every year. Among them, projectors for two different application scenarios, office and entertainment, are well received in the Japanese market. Office projectors mainly have an HDMI interface, have a simple remote control, and do not have an embedded app. The entertainment projector has Bluetooth and WIFI functions. It has a built-in educational or entertainment app, and can be connected wirelessly to a mobile phone or iPad.

When working from home becomes the “new” routine, and when living at home changes from the weekend to every day, these categories are opportunities.

There are some instructions and regulations for office electronics products to comply with in the European, American, and Japanese markets, so let's listen to Xiaobian's talk for you!

Safety testing certification and FDA product safety report

If the operating voltage range of your electrical products is 100v-240v, we recommend safety testing and certification (such as UL, CSA, ETL, etc.) to ensure safety and reliability.

Second, when it comes to office electronic products with laser laser functions, they may be regulated by the FDA in the US. The FDA has a project called the “Radiological Health Program” (Radiological Health Program). The main scope of control includes: laser products, laser lamp products, microwave ovens, industrial X-ray products, etc. As an importer or manufacturer, you are obligated to submit relevant product safety reports through the FDA's eSubmitter system. In addition, the FDA divides laser products into classes I to IV according to hazard levels. For II-IV products, sellers are required to indicate the product level and output power on the label.

Has PSE Mark and complies with relevant technical specifications

Electrical products sold in Japan must have a PSE mark, and it is mandatory to state that the product complies with the relevant technical specifications.

Everything is ready, sail to sea in the east wind of the Amazon

When you choose a product with excellent functionality and quality, and after passing various certifications, Amazon Business will give you peak season sales plus a buff!