After robotic vacuum cleaners and robotic lawnmowers became benchmarks for Chinese smart hardware going global, another cleaning robot category is experiencing a boom — Chinese pool robots are now leading a "Made in China" disruptive wave in the European and American markets with their "technological breakthroughs + cost-effectiveness superiority."

Observing Net noticed that the latest data disclosed by the leading brand Seauto (hereinafter referred to as "Seauto") shows that over 70% of its European market orders come from AliExpress. In just the summer peak season from April to July this year, it achieved explosive sales growth.

Seauto chose to use terminal products priced around $300, directly breaking through the price monopoly of traditional foreign big brands priced at $1,000 to $2,000, making Chinese pool robots jump from a "niche product" to a "must-have new favorite" for middle-class families overseas.

Seauto's product interface, Alibaba International

"American users have been educated, they know what service this product can provide, but European consumers still think that pool robots are something very high-end," said Allen, the brand's overseas expansion officer, in a recent conversation with Observing Net. He openly stated that traditional European and American brands have long monopolized the market, pushing the price of pool robots up to $1,000 to $2,000, but still using wired models and outdated cleaning path technologies. However, after the emergence of Chinese products like Seauto, they have also updated their understanding.

In fact, the pain points in the overseas market go far beyond this.

According to industry data, nearly half of the over 28 million private pools worldwide rely on manual cleaning, with an average annual pool maintenance cost of $1,432 for American households, and each cleaning session generally exceeds $100. "This product shouldn't be too expensive; the industry often says that if the product is priced above $400, it has a premium," Allen's judgment directly points to the core contradiction in the industry — the mismatch between high prices and low quality, which is precisely the opportunity for Chinese brands like Seauto to break through.

As Chinese pool robot brands continue to gain influence in the global market, this sector may, in the future, form a competitive landscape dominated by Chinese brands, similar to that of robotic vacuum cleaners. The cooperation model between Seauto and AliExpress will also provide a replicable blueprint for more Chinese smart hardware brands going global.

The confidence of Seauto to break through the $400 price line comes from its full-chain self-research and development. "Our main R&D, supply chain, and sales are all integrated. We ourselves develop and produce components such as gears (planetary gears), and brushless motors are also produced by us," Allen emphasized. Compared to the commonly used brushed motors in the market, self-developed brushless motors directly extend the machine's lifespan. Moreover, the removable battery design, which is unique in the market, solves an industry pain point — "When the battery capacity drops to 50%-60%, we can replace the battery, while all pool robots currently on the market have non-removable batteries."

Pool robot product image, Seauto

In China, technological breakthroughs have directly translated into cost advantages.

Allen revealed that after self-developing key components such as planetary gears and brushless motors, the product costs were significantly reduced. "Our current robots are priced around $400, and with platform subsidies, some consumers can see prices below $300," he said. In contrast, similar wall-climbing models from overseas brands typically sell for $600 to $1,000. More importantly, "others can achieve our technology, but if they want to bypass the patent, their costs will increase. Our supply chain costs will always be lower than others, and our product competitiveness will remain strong."

Aside from the "hard power" brought by technology, the empowerment of cross-border e-commerce platforms has also made Seauto's overseas expansion smoother.

"The most important part of our brand's overseas expansion this year is the collaboration with AliExpress. AliExpress has a very high market share in online e-commerce platforms in Europe, so you can say that to enter the European market, you must do AliExpress," Allen admitted. The "Brand Overseas Expansion Plan" of AliExpress and its overseas logistics model were key drivers for entering the European market.

According to the introduction, the "Brand Overseas Expansion Plan" of AliExpress provided Seauto with a 20% price subsidy, combined with seasonal subsidies during events such as the back-to-school season in August, allowing consumers to get the final price below $300. Meanwhile, the overseas logistics model solved the problem of high-value large items — "The overseas logistics model of AliExpress requires us to pre-stock inventory in the European warehouse, which shortens delivery time and reduces fulfillment costs, reducing overall costs by 15% to 20%." According to platform data, the "Brand Overseas Expansion Plan" has helped 95% of partner brands become members of the "Million Dollar Club" in annual sales over the past year. After joining AliExpress, Seauto achieved large-scale penetration in Europe within less than a year.

Although the pool robot market has not yet reached the high concentration seen in robotic vacuum cleaners, the industry structure is already changing. "Now the industry is gradually rising, and in the future, it will also take the form of robotic vacuum cleaners, becoming concentrated, with only a few major companies competing, and smaller ones may basically disappear," Allen predicted. He believes that the next 2-3 years will be the window period for the sector, and Seauto has already launched global expansion — "North America is the first major market, followed by Europe, then Australia, and then South America and Southeast Asia, one by one," where the layout in the Australian market holds strategic significance — "During the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Australia is still warm, and it can also be sold," thus balancing seasonal fluctuations.

Data also confirms its growth momentum. In 2024, Seauto's shipment volume approached 100,000 units, and in recent years, the brand's annual shipment volume has doubled every year.

Pool robot product image, Seauto

In the wave of transformation of the global pool robot market from "manual cleaning" to "automation," Chinese brands are breaking the long-term monopoly of European and American brands with the combination of "self-research and development technology + platform empowerment." As Allen said, "Products are the foundation of standing firm." When Chinese manufacturers solve the cleaning needs of European and American families with high-cost-performance products, this overseas breakthrough is not only a competition for market share, but also a restructuring of industry rules.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7545797057420771883/

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