Lockdowns Fueled Record 2020 Imports of Laptops, Tablets, TVs, Says DataWeb

U.S. importers sourced record quantities of laptops, tablets and TVs in 2020 to meet historically high demand for connectivity and home entertainment gear during COVID-19 lockdowns, according to Census Bureau data we accessed Sunday through the International Trade Commission’s DataWeb tool. The 125.68 million laptops and tablets shipped here in 2020 under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule’s 8471.30.01 subheading was a 22.6% increase from 2019 and the most in any year since Census began reporting that HTS category in 2007. Q4 shipments of 43.44 million laptops was the highest quarterly volume recorded, rising 18.4% sequentially from Q3 and 39.5% year over year. U.S. importers took delivery of 52.12 million TV sets in 2020, up 30.9% from a year earlier and the most in any year since Census began keeping HTS 8528.72.64 records in 2016 for flat-panel TV imports. Q4 shipments of 15.04 million sets were down 14.6% sequentially from Q3 but up 39.6% from the 2019 quarter. It was a banner year for TVs imported here under the HTS 8528.72.64.30 subheading with 30- to 35-inch screen sizes. Unit volume for the year in that class increased 77.1% to 10.06 million sets. Q4 imports of 2.89 million sets were down 17.9% sequentially from Q3 but up 127.6% from the 2019 quarter. TV imports in larger screen sizes also increased significantly from a year earlier, though not nearly by the same magnitude. Shipments of HTS 8528.72.64.60 sets with screen sizes exceeding 45 inches were up 20.9% year over year to 28.96 million. Imports of 35- to 45-inch sets under HTS 8528.72.64.40 increased 32.2% to 11.22 million.