Quality of sleep - rather than quantity of sleep - has the greatest impact on people's quality of life and daytime functioning, according to the World Sleep Society. With a growing awareness of the value of high-quality sleep among urban dwellers in recent years, a myriad of products for a better night's sleep have emerged on the market, including latex pillows and mattresses.
Interestingly, latex bed products with the "Made in Thailand" label have long caught the eye of online shoppers in China. An early market entrant is Bangkok-based Nittaya, which established a presence on Tmall Global, Alibaba's B2C platform for imported products, at the recommendation of Thailand's Ministry of Commerce back in April 2015. The 36-year-old brand achieved more than RMB20 million in sales of latex bed products during a one-day sale event co-organized with Tmall Global shortly after its debut on the platform.
Latex pillows and mattresses have since become Thailand's signature products and a growing category on Tmall Global. During the 2021 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, latex bed product sellers accounted for half of the top 10 bestselling Thai brands on the platform. In a three-day campaign hosted by Tmall Global's household product channel in December 2021, latex bed products - majority of which came from Thailand - saw a 180% year-on-year increase in sales.
Appeal of latex bed products
The popularity of Thai latex pillows and mattresses among Chinese consumers, first and foremost, stems from their health benefits. Pillows and mattresses made with natural latex usually provide a comfortable fit and breathability and come with antibacterial and anti-mite properties. Being highly elastic, they also offer good neck and spine protection while being able to support sleepers of different weights and adapt to different sleeping postures.
As an additional advantage, latex is a natural, renewable material which can be harvested from rubber trees without cutting the trees down, which makes its production sustainable and carbon-negative. Thus, it has become a preferred choice among socially-conscious consumers.
Thailand has a unique geographical environment that is ideal for the growth of rubber trees and production of top-notch latex. These factors include sufficient sunshine, abundant rainfall, an annual average temperature of 25-27 ?C and relative humidity of above 80% in most months. In the eyes of discerning Chinese shoppers of latex pillow and mattress products, the "Made in Thailand" label itself is a seal of quality.
Cultivating consumer awareness
As Chinese consumers attach greater importance to quality of sleep along an overall rise in standard of living, the appeal of Thai latex pillows and mattresses is expected to grow further. However, in a massive online market where potential buyers may not know about latex bed products just yet, consumer education is the first step of achieving e-commerce success.
Therefore, consumer education is what Tmall Global has been working with brand partners on. For example, in conjunction with the recent World Sleep Day in March 2022, Tmall Global joined forces with latex product brands including JACE on a multi-channel promotional campaign, highlighting how pillows and mattresses play a part in quality sleep and spotlighting natural latex pillows and mattresses from Thailand. Other promotional activities led by Tmall Global featuring Thai latex products also took place as part of events such as the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival last year.
Since establishing its presence on Tmall Global in 2019, JACE has been able to surpass RMB156 million in GMV on the platform within one year. This was achieved partly through working actively with Tmall Global on content marketing and product trend creation - on the foundation of its strong products which contain 95% natural latex harvested from the Surat Thani rubber plantation.
What's next for Thai-made latex bed products?
Even for brands like Nittaya and JACE that have already gained a market foothold, navigating the Chinese e-commerce market is a constantly evolving journey. In Nittaya's view, Chinese consumers now have an increasingly diverse demand as a result of economic progress, and diversifying its products into different visually-appealing and interesting product options is the way to go. In anticipation of this trend, the company has already developed a number of new latex pillow and mattress products targeted at specific consumer segments, such as pregnancy waist pillows, cartoon-printed children's pillows, yoga mats and office desk nap pillows.
On the other hand, recognizing the rise of Gen Z as the main force of consumption in China, JACE places an emphasis on targeting younger consumer groups and getting to understand their specific needs. The brand also focuses on exploring ways to apply its products in different consumption scenarios to differentiate itself from competitors amid a rise of new consumer brands.
Regardless of the entry of new market participants, the ongoing trend of Chinese consumers seeking healthier, more sustainable products and the expansion of e-commerce to China's less-developed regions still present a significant market opportunity for latex bed product sellers. Now it is up to brands to embrace the trend, sharpen their competitive edge and grasp the opportunity.