Viele US Kleinbetriebe vermissen das Boot, wenn es nach China kommt

Durch Geoff Light

In den letzten Jahren Chinas hat starke mittlere Kategorie Aufmerksamkeit von den Geschäften weltweit erregt. Boston beratene Gruppe (BCG) schätzt, daß es 25 bis 30 Million Mittelklassehaushalte in China gibt. BCG merkt auch, daß diese Haushalte nicht scheinen, Schlusses Momentum zu sein. Seit 1999 haben Mittelklassehaushalte ein unveränderliches 36.6 Prozent wealth* Chinas erklärt. Wenn amerikanisch, werden Firmen balanciert, um diese Verbraucher zu erreichen, Geschäfte und die US Wirtschaft hat viel zu gewinnen.

Große, amerikanische Korporationen - wie Wal-Handelszentrum und Starbucks - pflasterten die Weise für andere US Firmen, zum der Produkte in China zu verkaufen. Vor kurzem, haben high-end Art und Weiseeinzelhändler Geschäfte im Land aufgestellt.  Amerikanische Art- und Weiseentwerfer-Treber Jacobs z.B. haben fast die gleiche Menge der Treber durch Marc Jacobs Speicher in China, wie er in den Vereinigten Staaten tut.

Aber, China muß nicht ein Markt für nur ein auserwähltes sein wenige globale Konglomerate. Viele US Kleinbetriebe auch verkaufen ihre Produkte in China - aber, vollen Nutzen aus Potential Chinas nicht genug gezogen zu haben. Entsprechend den US der Handel-Abteilung Kommerzieller Service, das Exportpotential der kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (SMEs) ist „enorm.“ SMEs erklären fast 97 Prozent US Exporteure aber stellen noch nur ungefähr 30 Prozent des Gesamtexportwertes von US dar goods*.

If an SME is not looking at China‘s business potential, it should be. Without a strategy to reach China’s consumer market, U.S. businesses stand to dull their competitive edge.

Wanted: American goods
Chinese consumers buy American products – and they want to see more of them on store shelves. In 2005 and 2006, UPS conducted a survey of urban, middle class consumers in China to help its customers do business in the world’s fastest-growing economy. The 2006 survey revealed that American DVDs and CDs, moisturizer, athletic shoes and blue jeans are most popular among Chinese consumers.

China’s complexities
To be successful in China, American businesses cannot assume that “one size fits all.” China’s people live across 3.7 million square miles with multiple climates and speak countless dialects. So it’s not hard to imagine that Chinese consumers – like Americans – have diverse preferences.

The China consumer survey found that purchasing preferences varied by age group, gender and geographic location.

Do celebrities pack a punch?
According to the research, almost half (46 percent) of consumers surveyed between the ages of 20 and 29 say they like celebrity endorsements, whereas 29 percent of respondents between 50 and 59 want to see celebrities in advertisements.

The survey also found that consumers in China want the best products – not necessarily the cheapest. Marketers should communicate messages of quality in advertisements, as it is the number one factor when making a purchasing decision.  The More than half of consumers (56 percent) hope to hear messages about quality ingredients or workmanship in ads for U.S. products.

But who is the best person to endorse the quality of a product? We engaged local employees and their friends to serve as sounding boards for what our survey uncovered.  Of those we spoke with, we found that Cui Ping, 31, from Beijing, likes celebrity endorsements for imported products. But Yuan Rong, 29, from Xian, doesn’t. “Celebrities are everywhere,” Rong said. “You have to see them even if you don’t want to.”

In contrast, Ping said that celebrity testimonials imply product quality. “I believe that companies that can afford expensive celebrity endorsements have real strength. To me, the more famous a celebrity is, the better the product will be because celebrities have to take care of their reputation.”

This commentary underscores that while quality may reign supreme, there is no consensus on who is the best person to communicate quality-centric messages. This commentary is also a good reminder that China and its growing middle class of consumers are not a mass market as they have wide-ranging opinions and preferences.
 
Credit cards and more
Opportunities for small businesses will continue to grow as Chinese consumers use credit cards and shop online more often. More than half of consumers in the survey said they used credit or debit cards for shopping, and 40 percent have shopped online.  We expect this trend to grow as many consumers are looking to further integrate their credit card into their lives. A 2007 Citibank report on cultural insights of Asians and their credit cards, found that 43 percent of those surveyed were eager to see their credit cards double as a form of personal ID*.

How to conquer the new frontier 
With a strong consumer base spanning ages, cultures, geographies and genders, China isn’t merely an “emerging market”; it’s a new frontier for many U.S businesses. How can the average American business take the first steps to take the mystery out of exporting to China? UPS offers the following tips:

1. Know before you go
Research is the critical first step for businesses seeking to export to China. This Web site (www.chinasuccessstories.com) provides noteworthy anecdotes from others who have had business and social experiences in China.  Another good resource is from the U.S.-China Business Council, which supports U.S. businesses in China and offers news and other resources for U.S. firms. Its Web site is: http://www.uschina.org.
2. Find the right partners
Partnerships are the key to doing business in China. Small companies, in particular, can get ahead by using the existing infrastructure and relationships of buyers, distributors and transportation companies.
3. Make smart transportation choices
Some transportation companies can make things even easier by consolidating shipments to save time and money. For example, shipments being flown to multiple Chinese cities can clear customs as one unit and bypass distribution centers to speed up delivery times.
4. Automate and integrate
Pick a transportation provider with technology that specifically understands customs regulations.  UPS recently launched a paperless customs form that automates all customs information, meaning that you don’t have to manually input tedious customs documentations. Inaccurate or incomplete customs forms are the number one reason parcels get held up at customs. 

Geoff Light, International Business Development Manager, UPS: www.ups.com

* “Wealth Markets in China; Exciting Times Ahead.” The Boston Consulting Group Inc. December 2005. Tjun Jang, Thomas Klotz and Thomas Achhorner. 
* “Why Export.” U.S. Commercial Service. http://www.buyusa.gov/philadelphia/whyexport.html. 
* “Payment Evolution Report.” Citibank. June 2007. http://www.citigroup.com/citigroup/press/2007/070625d.htm.