Smart home is maturing from novelty to infrastructure. For sellers and retailers planning this year’s assortment, these five trends are where the volume — and the margin — is moving.
1. Matter finally unifies the ecosystem
The Matter standard now lets a single SKU work with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and SmartThings simultaneously. For buyers this is huge: one product, one certification path, every ecosystem on the box. Entry devices like smart plugs are the highest-velocity Matter category — an ideal first SKU.
2. On-device AI beats cloud subscriptions
Consumers are tired of paying monthly fees for camera intelligence. Devices that run person/pet detection locally — with physical privacy shutters — convert better and generate fewer returns. Privacy is no longer a feature; it is a selling point printed on the packaging.
3. Energy monitoring becomes table stakes
With electricity prices elevated across Europe, buyers want devices that show consumption. Smart plugs with energy metering and appliances with eco modes are winning retail placement that used to go to the cheapest option.
4. Ambient lighting keeps compounding
RGBIC light strips, TV backlights and outdoor string lights continue to ride the creator-economy wave. The differentiator has shifted from hardware (commoditized) to software: scene libraries, music sync and app polish decide reviews.
5. Cleaning robots democratize flagship features
LiDAR navigation — once a $900 feature — is now standard in mid-price robot vacuums. The mid-tier is where unit volume concentrates, and auto-empty docks are the attach-rate hero.
Assortment tip: anchor with one Matter entry device, one privacy-first camera and one mid-price cleaning robot. That trio covers entry, margin and basket-size in a single container.
HiG’s catalog is built around exactly these trends — every product pre-screened and certified, so your team can focus on channel and brand instead of factory roulette.
