Authoritative Release | "Life Clothing Washing and Dyeing (Online) Consumer Trend Insight Report"

Since Since 2020, the O2O laundry model has rapidly expanded domestically. With the cultivation of consumer habits and the improvement of supporting facilities in laundry and dyeing enterprises and laundry factories, internet laundry platforms and shoe cleaning services have developed rapidly. To help laundry and dyeing enterprises achieve digital transformation more effectively and efficiently, the China Commercial Federation Laundry and Dyeing Professional Committee and Meituan jointly drafted and authoritatively released "Life Clothing Laundry and Dyeing (Online) Consumption Trend Insight Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"), aiming to empower the industry by analyzing big data and industry trends, providing valuable insights and suggestions to related enterprises.

Previously, "China Laundry and Dyeing Industry Development Report 2023" showed that in 2023, the internet laundry business (referring to the laundry service model of online ordering, offline transactions, logistics, delivery, and in-store personnel pickup and delivery) generated nearly 5.1 billion yuan in revenue, accounting for 8% of the life clothing laundry and dyeing business. Meanwhile, the internet shoe cleaning business has emerged as a strong trend, with demand for sports shoe care increasing by over 30%, representing a typical case of untapped consumption in the life clothing laundry and dyeing sector.

Life Clothing Laundry and Dyeing (Online) Consumption Trend

Basic Situation Analysis (Excerpt)

Market size continues to expand, life laundry industry scale expected to exceed 80 billion yuan

As a basic service sector meeting daily life needs, the laundry and dyeing industry has continued stable growth since the end of the pandemic, with market size steadily expanding. In 2023, China's laundry and dyeing industry annual revenue reached 129.06 billion yuan, of which life clothing laundry and dyeing services accounted for 49.4% of the industry's annual revenue, reaching 63.76 billion yuan, recovering to the same level as in 2019. It is estimated that by 2026, the life clothing laundry and dyeing sector's annual revenue will exceed 80 billion yuan, with a compound growth rate close to 10%.

From the perspective of user scale, it is estimated that in 2024, the overall size of the life clothing laundry and dyeing industry will be about 292 million people, while the online laundry user base will be about 27 million, accounting for 9.5%, meaning over 90% of users have not tried the online laundry model. Whether from the consumer perspective or industry revenue perspective, the online life clothing laundry sector has taken shape but still has significant growth potential.

Online stores grow rapidly, on-site laundry and care actively expand in lower-tier markets

Meituan data shows that as of October 2024, among transaction cooperation stores in first-tier cities, stores offering only offline in-store transactions and those providing on-site services account for a ratio of 7:3; in third-tier and below cities, the ratio of offline in-store transaction stores to online stores providing on-site services is 3:7, and in fifth-tier and below cities, it is close to 2:8.

This structural difference indicates that on one hand, lower-tier markets rely more on stores to attract nearby offline customers through face-to-face service and interpersonal interaction; on the other hand, it also shows that the scale effect of internet laundry makes it easier to capture blank spaces in lower-tier markets, thus rapid expansion since the second half of 2024.

Online shoe cleaning business flourishes, "Any Wash" becomes the industry's balance between peak and off-peak seasons

To alleviate demand fluctuations between peak and off-peak seasons, more and more companies have vigorously developed shoe cleaning services in recent years. Peak season laundry, off-season shoe cleaning, has become the industry's balance between peak and off-peak seasons. Consumers clean shoes more frequently, and demand is easier to stimulate.

In the development of online laundry and care services, to lower consumers' decision-making barriers, "Any Wash for Clothes and Shoes" allows a broader cleaning range to meet consumers' diverse cleaning needs, receiving positive feedback, saving consumers time and effort, and further effectively stimulating incremental demand.

Data shows that the "Any Wash for Clothes and Shoes" combo package accounts for nearly 50% of orders during the industry's peak season. The annual frequency of shoe cleaning can reach more than 8 times, being the main source of orders in the off-season, accounting for 60%. Meanwhile, luxury goods and home textiles washing maintain steady growth, with high unit price attributes becoming a new profit growth point for stores.

Online consumer focus shifts from finding stores to preferring to find services

In today's highly developed internet environment, more and more consumers are not only satisfied with finding stores online but prefer to directly obtain solutions to their needs. For example, the term "shoe cleaning" saw a 41% year-on-year increase in platform popularity in the first half of 2024, with the more focused "shoe cleaning with pickup and delivery" search popularity increasing by 88.9% year-on-year; "clothes washing" (63.8%) grew faster in platform search popularity than "laundry shop" (14.1%). Specifically, the keyword "down jacket cleaning" saw a 98.9% year-on-year increase in platform popularity.

Analyzing the user's online transaction decision path, from initial intention, selection evaluation, to transaction purchase, and the fulfillment service process at the factory or store backend, consumers have many needs and different scenarios correspond to pain points.

To address pain points at each stage, Meituan as a platform helps merchants and users better meet their needs. For example, in the selection evaluation stage, the biggest pain point is inconsistent cleaning scope standards; the platform reduces users' decision costs through standardized supply. For the common pain point of no pickup and delivery at stores, Meituan has enabled pickup and delivery for in-store users by integrating delivery capabilities since this year. It is worth emphasizing that in the fulfillment service stage, Meituan actively launches various insurance and related services to help merchants and users obtain corresponding service rights and protections.

User demand differences

Looking at the entire user demand process and core selection differences, the core processes of on-site and in-store services differ, and consumers value the two forms differently.

Store distance is the primary consideration for in-store consumers, while on-site service values cleaning effectiveness more; pre-cleaning communication is key to managing consumer expectations, testing customer service ability and digitalization level; cleanliness, service attitude, and dispute resolution are hot topics in platform user reviews.

User decision factors

Research shows that overall, the most core and basic needs are cleanliness and after-sales guarantee; regarding price, 60% of users find the price for laundry between 10-30 yuan per item acceptable, and 77% of consumers accept the price range of 0-20 yuan per pair for shoe cleaning; among high-frequency takeaway users on the platform, 68% have door-to-door laundry service needs; regarding cleaning timeliness, 80% of users hope to have the cleaning returned within 6 days; over 80% of users compare prices, and for younger consumer groups, price is a very important decision and selection factor; when the price meets expectations and cleaning results are satisfactory, 70% of users will continue to repurchase.

Trends and Opportunities in the Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing Industry

"Internet laundry" further expands into lower-tier markets; to prevent customer complaints and disputes, industry standards support and expectation management are needed; differentiated competition in segmented tracks, luxury goods laundry and quick wash are worth deep cultivation.

Complete Report Directory

Table of Contents of the "Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing (Online) Consumer Trend Insight Report"

Chapter One Overview of Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing Development

(I) Definition of Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing Industry (Online) and Scope of Report Analysis

(II) Market size continues to expand, living laundry and dyeing industry scale exceeds 80 billion yuan

(III) Online laundry is still in the early development stage, with broad space for door-to-door services

Chapter Two Supply and Demand Characteristics of Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing

(I) Meituan platform's online stores grow rapidly, door-to-door laundry services actively expand in lower-tier markets

(II) Online stores mainly focus on laundry and shoe cleaning, consumer focus shifts from finding stores to obtaining services

(III) Provinces such as Jiangsu and Guangdong have over ten thousand online stores, new first-tier cities like Zhengzhou and Ningbo grow rapidly

(IV) Living clothes laundry demand has distinct peak and off-peak seasons, with large autumn and winter garments playing a leading role

(V) Online shoe cleaning business flourishes, "Any Wash" becomes the industry's balance between peak and off-peak seasons

(VI) Young women are the main users of online laundry, while the gender ratio of shoe cleaning users is more balanced

Chapter Three Decision Factors of Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing Users

(I) Distance is the primary consideration for in-store consumers, while door-to-door services focus more on cleaning effectiveness

(II) Pre-wash communication is key to managing consumer expectations, testing customer service ability and digitalization level

(III) Cleanliness, service attitude, and dispute handling are hot topics in platform user reviews

Chapter Four Trends and Opportunities in the Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing Industry

(I) "Internet laundry" further expands into lower-tier markets

(II) To prevent customer complaints and disputes, industry standards support and expectation management are needed

(III) Differentiated competition in segmented tracks, luxury goods laundry and quick wash are worth deep cultivation

(IV) Laundry factories are becoming smaller and more specialized, with more flexible service area markets

During the compilation of this report, we received strong support from leaders and experts of brands such as Beijing Funait, Shanghai Elephant King, Beijing Hanhuang, Taizhou Aoshan, Beijing Brilin, Big Whale Wash, Haiwei Pai, Yiweishi, UCC and others, and we thank all participating research companies for their close cooperation.

All the above content has been compiled into the "Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing (Online) Consumer Trend Insight Report" for the entire industry to learn from.

Living Clothes Laundry and Dyeing (Online) Consumer Trend Insight.pdf  

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