With the global DIY culture prevailing and the demand for home maintenance continuing to grow, hardware tools are transforming from a traditional rigid-demand category into a golden track for steady growth and efficient monetization in cross-border e-commerce.
At the same time, there are also a number of Chinese tool brands that are rapidly breaking through overseas, confirming the overseas logic of “small categories can also make big business”.
Recently, TikTok’s 24-in-1 multi-function screwdriver set in the US has become a phenomenon-level item, quickly becoming popular due to its practical functions and scene-based communication.
Data shows that in the week from March 9 to 15, the product sold more than 5,000 pieces, with a single-week GMV of more than 100,000 US dollars; the cumulative sales volume has reached 243,600 pieces, with total sales exceeding 4.1 million US dollars, equivalent to more than 28 million yuan, and it has ranked first in the sales list of the hardware tool category.
It is understood that this out-of-the-box product comes from the Chinese brand SEESE, and its core advantages are ease of use and high integration.
The set includes a handle with adjustable angle and length, and is equipped with 24 magnetic drill bits, available in mainstream specifications such as hexagonal and tower types.
On the one hand, the magnetic design allows users to quickly switch drill bits and can be operated with one hand, which is very convenient; on the other hand, the 24 drill bits can basically cover all screw models on the market, so it can meet more user needs.
To address the pain points of users easily losing parts and cluttered storage, the brand has also equipped an integrated storage box, which is compact in size and neatly arranged, taking into account both portability and texture, further increasing product premiums and repurchase intentions.
The birth of popular items is inseparable from TikTok’s traffic boost.
In the past month, the brand has collaborated with 139 vertical category experts and released 365 product delivery videos. Through scene demonstrations, usage comparisons, good product reviews, etc., it has quickly established user awareness and achieved efficient conversion from traffic to orders.
Data shows that content delivery currently contributes nearly 80% of product sales.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time the store has created a hit product. The previously launched cordless high-pressure cleaning gun has also become popular overseas. Stable product selection capabilities and product strength have become the key to its continued success.
When it comes to overseas markets, many people will subconsciously think of electronics, clothing, beauty, etc. However, in fact, hardware tools are not “small and transparent”, but a large-scale global rigid demand market with stable growth.
Previous industry reports have shown that the global tool market will reach US$42.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to increase to US$61.84 billion in 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% from 2024 to 2030.
It can be said that with the trend of electrification, intelligence and portability, Chinese supply chain companies have ushered in excellent opportunities to go overseas.
Amidst such huge opportunities, a number of good overseas players have emerged, and their successful cases of going overseas have just verified the feasibility of this path.
For example, Baoshide, which was founded in the 1990s, seized on the foreign trade trend in the early days and quickly started to increase its sales. Not long after its establishment, it achieved annual sales of tens of millions of dollars, accounting for nearly one-tenth of China’s power tool exports at that time.
Enter the new century, Baoshide has firmly followed the independent brand route, launched WORX, and successively acquired overseas brands such as Rockwell in the United States and Kress in Germany to complete its global brand layout.
Along with technological upgrading, Baoshide continues to expand into new categories such as smart garden tools and lawn mower robots. Its lawn mower robots have topped the categories on multiple Amazon sites all year round, with cumulative global sales exceeding one million units, becoming an example for Chinese tool brands to move from OEM to independent brands.
In short, a series of cases prove that China’s hardware tools exports are shifting from low-price and volume to differentiated competition. Instead of raising prices, it is better to focus on user pain points and make micro-innovations. Even if it is just a screwdriver or a drill bit set, short videos and live broadcasts can be used to amplify product value and find their own incremental space in the global market.
