Ahmedabad: Rise of robot cleaners amid virus fears — threefold surge in sales

AHMEDABAD: Dr Bharat Ghodadara, a senior doctor, got home a cleaning robot recently. Having divided the household cleaning responsibility between himself and his family, Ghodadara was determined not to hire his domestic help back to limit exposure to the deadly virus.
“We were managing fine with help till the pandemic struck last year. The five months during and after the lockdown were taxing as we had to manage all the chores,” he said.“We had to do it in the interest of our safety. We don’t intend to employ anyone at home and increase our exposure. So we decided to bring home a cleaning robot, which does the job well.”
The fear of contracting Covid-19 was perhaps more intense during the sinister second wave that clearly governed people’s purchase decisions. If dishwasher sales ruled the charts last year, cleaning robots are the stars this year. An increasing number of Amdavadis have bought cleaning robots that can sweep and mop homes squeaky clean.
Three companies supplying cleaning robots saw an estimated three-fold surge in their monthly volumes in April and May, compared to last year driven by demand in Ahmedabad.
“Inquiries have grown significantly since August last year. However, especially during and after the recent second wave, demand has increased three-fold,” Prathmesh Sharma, an Ahmedabad-based distributor of high-end electronics and home appliances said. “Against an estimated five units sold in a month, we have gone up to retailing some 15-20 units every month and more inquiries are coming in.”
Sharma mentioned that increased awareness about availability and effectiveness of these products has made a lot of people buy them.
With a surge in sales, dealers too are being flooded with inquiries. “We already have 10 inquiries as of now for cleaning robots and we’ve placed orders for procuring more stock,” said Bhavesh Waria, president, Ahmedabad Electronics Dealers’ Association (AEDA).
“Last year, dishwashers sold like hot cakes. This year, the demand for cleaning robots has gone up,” Waria said. “That is because people now are concerned about their safety and are reluctant to encounter anyone not known to them.”
The demand for wet vacuum cleaners has also gone up. “Earlier, people had to be persuaded to buy such products. However, the demand since the second wave has grown big time,” said a source. “Against 50 units retailed in a year before the pandemic, we clocked sales of at least 700 units in 2020-21. The momentum has grown during the second wave.”
With the risk being high, people are more inclined to choose robots and devices over humans, if they can afford to do so. “In times of Covid, turning to technology is a wise thing. I am a retired professional and my wife is a senior citizen too,” said Vijay Shah, a Navrangpura resident. “When I learnt about this product, the decision to buy was almost instantaneous to avoid any risk.”