Hisense's climb: second place in TVs and double-digit growth in whites

The Italian consumer electronics market suffers from a persistent post-switch-off 'bellyache' that does not seem to find a solution. Nonetheless, we are witnessing a climb-down that is surprising and reminds everyone that Nokia's case in the mobile phone sector should always be foremost in the minds of great managers. Following the recent news that Sony is to sell its TV business to TCL, and while the sector is contracting by 3% year-on-year, with volumes stabilising at around 3.6 million units per annum, down sharply from around six during the switch-off season, Hisense is running against the trend, recording 8% growth in TV sales and 20% increase in overall business. With a turnover of 415 million euros in 2025, the company has now consolidated itself as the third national brand, closely undermining the dominant positions of the historical leaders with a quantity share of 14.6%, just three decimal places away from the second step of the podium and a monthly peak recorded at 16.6%, which portends new overtakes.

Underlying this success is not an aggressive discount policy, but a mission of technological leadership that has turned what was a 'young brand' into an innovator. Hisense has chosen not to participate in the destruction of the value of products under 300 euros, maintaining a price index of 93 to position itself in the 'reasonable' end of the market, where the price is aggressive but not exaggeratedly low. The reason for Hisense's success, according to country manager Gianluca di Pietro, has two main bases. The first lies in innovation. They were among the first to offer televisions with miniLED RGB backlighting, a technology that uses groups of three tiny LEDs of primary colours to guarantee high colour fidelity and excellent blacks. Then they impressed the public with their 116-inch flagship, which sold for 20,000 euros, and in 2026 they will bring MiniLED RGB to the 'belly of the market', i.e. to sizes 55 and above, making technological excellence accessible to the general public.

In parallel with televisions, the company has been able to diversify its offering by taking advantage of strategic acquisitions such as that of Gorenje, which has enabled 55% growth in the built-in appliance sector and the achievement of a 10% share in the refrigeration sector. This expansion is supported by an evolving digital ecosystem: the Vidaa software platform, which from 2026 will take on the name Hisense TV, is increasingly integrating with artificial intelligence and the ConnectLife hub to offer smart, optimised control of consumption throughout the home.

However, technology alone would not explain such solid growth without tenaciously built brand recognition. Hisense has adopted a marketing strategy characterised by a constancy rare in the industry, linking its name to major international sporting events for an entire decade, from the European Championships in 2016 to the next World Cup in 2026. In addition to global visibility, the brand has focused massively on the Italia market, where 90% of its more than one hundred employees are local professionals, and on its physical presence in points of sale with more than 1,000 displays at points of sale that allow consumers to touch the quality of the product.

Looking to the future, Gianluca di Pietro does not speak of simple optimism, but of a realism based on the ability to anticipate critical market issues, such as possible raw material price increases in 2026. "As we have proven in the past," says di Pietro, "our supply chain is well diversified and very motivated towards Hisense. We have what it takes to keep the market well supplied." With participation in major events such as the Fuorisalone in Milan, which has already attracted over 21,000 visitors, and the launch of new design ranges such as the kitchen fit refrigerators, Hisense is aiming for a further 15% growth. It is the confirmation of a path that, starting from scratch in 2012, has led an emerging company into an established all-round reality, capable of offering solutions ranging from 100-inch Laser TVs to advanced energy management systems.