Given the number of small business managed by Chinese immigrants abroad, usually small shops but also restaurants, hairdressers, etc.. I wonder if it will be a smart move to use them to promote Chinese brands and products (not outsourced from foreign companies)

Around where I live I can count almost ten Chinese business… at least visible from the street.

Maybe a good idea would be a govt program which would require some quality and design standards for these showcases business and a selection of brands to promote. Also programs to help small business owners abroad to promote image, product quality, promotion and design.
Maybe set up some showcase boutiques in specific business areas.

Most of the business Chinese migrants open here, at least what people can see on the streets, are small pop and mom shops which mostly offer cheap products, from food and beverages to ultra cheap (and sometimes ureliable) chinese made trinkets.

But some business have manage already to get into main business streets, and sell higher and somewhat fashionable products, but most if not all still lack in good shop design, business promotion and total lack of recognizable brands (or promotion of them)

It would be not much different from what companies like Zara or H&M do when they take care about design, shop location and product placements on their shops, and also design and quality of the clothes they sold. Only that in this case it would be applied not only to fashion.

For example. In restaurants promotion of Chinese beverages and food brands. In hairdressers shops promotion of chines beauty products and fashion, in jewelery and costume jewelery promotion of Chinese designers, etc.

Change the quality awareness of Chinese made products would be an uphill battle to begin with, but a good designed program could do much to change that perception and make a wide range of Chinese brands better known abroad.

Still there is the problem of customer perception due to the political system… it really sets an upper limit on high branded Chinese products can go.
A fashionable customer can buy a Luis Vuitton/Channel/Rolex item (even if it was really made in China) or a Mercedes/Opel/Masseratti but an equivalent product from Chinese brand……

There is a limit on how high Chinese brands can go now, especially in high status products… due to the perception of the political sytem. The CCP tax I call it.

February 2, 2010 @ 2:09 pm | Comment

Aside from what ecodelta said, I am not sure where the author is trying to go with this piece. Granted, Chinese brands will eventually make some headway. But aside from the example of Li Ning, which, according to the author’s count, has established one outlet in the US (big whoop), all of the examples he cites are domestic. So you say that Chinese brands market themselves domestically? Now that’s a no-brainer!

Furthermore, he takes the intentions of Chinese brands to enter a foreign market as evidence that most of those brands actually will enter a foreign market and be successful.

And he brings up the Marks and Spencer example, thereby confusing his message. I know that Western brands have had troubles competing in China before. But couldn’t we then say that Chinese brands, with less experience marketing to Americans, would have more trouble at this stage at successfully carrying out that marketing, and therefore potentially suffer Marks and Spencer’s fate at a higher rate? This example may actually undercut his assertion that US consumers will be seeing a flood of Chinese brands in the near future.

I kind of know what he is getting at, but his logic is all wrong. He should be focusing more on the preparations to attract Western consumers — the sort of thing that would be important for making an argument that Chinese can carry out successful INTERNATIONAL branding. Interestingly enough, he overlooks two of the biggest success stories or potential success stories: Haier and Geely.

February 2, 2010 @ 5:06 pm | Comment

Lets see. At the office we have started to use Lenovo computers. Sturdy thinkpad series.

ADSL Provider uses a Huawei router+wifi. First one failed miserably shortly after unpacking.

Ok, lets put in on the glitch category. Second one works well. Nice design with neat solutions. Still the wifi doesnt seems to have to much throughput, hhmmm…. some problem at software or microchip level

Maybe I decide to get bigger TV. Found in a blog about the TCL internet TV with P2P Movie Player embedded. Looks veeeeery interesting. Any chance to get it in EU?

February 2, 2010 @ 6:37 pm | Comment

eco, I’ve heard of problems with the Huawei router’s wi-fi too. Then again wi-fi is generally bad and security-flawed (even with max security settings) – better to use cables.

I don’t usually care about brands when I’m buying something, though with electronic stuff it can count. In regards to PCs, I buy parts rather than completed systems. Memory, PSU don’t care provided it comes from a truster supplier. CPU is AMD or Intel (no other choice). Graphics card and motherboard is based on reviews. Sound system is always Altec Lansing. LG monitors are fab.

I guess I’d be willing to buy a Chinese-brand TV if it was well reviewed, priced, etc. But a lot of others like to go for trusted brands like Panasonic – certainly I’d be quicker to go for their products. It will take a long time for Chinese firms to get that sort of reputation, if they ever do.

February 2, 2010 @ 10:05 pm | Comment

There is always a balance between security and convenience.

When on wifi in public places better use a a vpn if you handle sensible infotmation.

About Chinese tv brands time will tell. Lets give them two or three years more.

February 2, 2010 @ 10:16 pm | Comment

Although the article meanders through several different issues one thing that caught my attention was the entrance of Li Ning into the US market. To me it makes great sense. The quality of their products across all lines is definitely “world class.” The product design, manufacturing and marketing I saw in China were top notch. In my experience Li Ning brand stores throughout China were put together nicely with great graphics, a good selection of product and reasonable turnover of new items. I’m sure that with a little strategic planning Li Ning can compete head to head to Nike, Puma, Adidas, Champion, etc.

February 3, 2010 @ 1:51 am | Comment

Oh, if you’re out of the house, fine. But if at home it’s a no-brainer.

February 3, 2010 @ 4:17 am | Comment

As I recall, M&S had (has?) serious trouble selling to UK customers, never mind Chinese ones 🙂
Chinese brands…Tsingtao and Yanjing (you’d never guess where my tastes lie, eh?) are two I am familiar with. The latter is quite good in that it also comes in 3.5% alcohol strength – perfect for gardening. Chinese food seems to be marketed very well – nary a place on the globe doesn’t have, in one form or other, a Chinese eating place. I’ll bet there’s a take away in the deepest darkest jungle in the Congo…run by a Chinese couple who seemingly never sleep. OK, I know it isn’t nevessarily a brand…but pizza, champagne and other “protected” European foods are or are trying to be.
Other Chinese brand of interest to me…Chang Jiang 🙂 A 1938 BMW still being built (ish…have a feeling they’re not churning them out by the thousands anymore). Communism at it’s best! Phoenix cycles, Butterfly sewing machines (very opular in Syria, as I recall. And an exact replica of the vintage Singer my grandmother had).
In other things, the Chinese have a stereotypical thing to overcome regarding quality. They will, no doubt – after all, it’s shite because they are paid peanuts to make it. As my father in law said, it was all because the western companies buying wanted the cheapest possible price. Used to piss him off to hear about “cheap Chinese crap” because he knew they also made the better stuff too. The best Chinese brands seem to be the old European/US brands with a Chinese badge – a Roewe is not a Rover, true, but it isn’t Chinese, really, is it?
Still, that’s what people used to say about Japanese stuff from the 50s and 60s….

February 3, 2010 @ 4:29 am | Comment