Well, anyway, that said, I'm sharing with you some of the blog posts I find informative and think you will too. Enjoy.
Doing Business In China
11-09-2010 From Business Blogs Hub, Twitter @BusinessTalk
- This is an article with tips about how to Sell to China... which is great!
- The original article is from Australian Government "Austrade" Blog, which was last updated February 4th, 2008. Although a bit dated it is still great info for the China Biz neophytes, or even experienced Sino Traders.
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| China Info-graphic (click to see larger view on original Blog Post) |
Topics From The Original Article Include:
Current environment for foreign products imported into mainland China
Market entry strategy:
"...Don’t automatically assume Beijing or Shanghai should be your target markets. Many other regions of China are substantial markets in themselves and competition can be less intense...."
Negotiations:
"....Use a qualified legal firm with a presence in China to review all contracts. Failure to gain full information about a potential partner’s credit and professional background could lead to serious problems further down the road...."
Etiquette
"...Business cards (ming pian) are essential in China, and it’s a good idea to have your card translated into Chinese on the reverse side. Present your card with both hands with the Chinese side face up. It’s a sign a respect to spend a few moments examining the business cards you receive rather than putting them away immediately...."
This is sooo true! I have also found that the title listed on your card is crucial. If you wear many hats in your organization and your title doesn't reflect that, it can lead to initial barriers. I found that if my business card says just "designer" then when it comes to working with sample makers on reverse engineering for cost optimization, packing, price negotiations, shipping schedules, etc... the factory owner or General Manager would prefer to wait for the proper departmental representative to review those issues. They don't seem to understand the idea of "many hats". I also concur that having a translation of your card in Chinese on the reverse side is very important and polite. They translate their cards on both sides and it just seems plain rude not to do the same. I have also found that listing my name in Chinese is very well received, and people seem to appreciate the fact that I have made an effort to learn the language and while I speak very few works and my tones are horrible, at least I have tried, which unfortunately is much more than most.
November 9, 2010 from Jing Daily Blog
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| Photo by Annie Leibowitz Gap's China Print Ad featuring bloggers Momo Wang & Julia Frakes (@bunnyBISOUS) |
Will Gap Be Too American For China?
Over the summer, Gap unveiled plans to open four China branches, with two retail locations in Shanghai and another two in Beijing....we’ll be able to see how the comparatively trend-conscious young consumers react to the classic American style.
" >>Continue Reading
It will be interesting also for the home furnishings market because historically the popular 'transitional' style furnishings in the US including Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel would be received in China. Currently popular styles in China are more modern Euro styles or super ornate, baroque carved, often painted gold. Ikea is super popular and considered an expensive brand, because interestingly Ikea sells the exact same product, in the same merchandising layout (including the same bedding on the same beds) in Burbank, California as they do in Shanghai, China. And, the prices are the same, just switched into different currencies. The same holds true for Italy, Spain, England, etc...So, what's an opening price point in the US based on average earnings, is an aspirational price point in China.
Speaking of aspiration brands......
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| Tiffany chairman Michael J. Kowalski & Gong Li. photo credit: Derek Blasberg |
This weekend at Beijing’s Forbidden City, Tiffany & Co celebrated their 2010-2011 Blue Book Collection, marking the first time the collection of magnificent jewels was shown outside of New York....some of the world’s most valuable jewels and diamonds.
11-09-2010 By Jess3 (@infosthetics), Information Aesthetics Blog
Mint Data [mint.com] tracks and aggregates the spending habits of about 4 million anonymous Mint.com users to provide a visual insight into where people are spending, how much they are spending, and where the economy is going.
Users can explore the data through choosing a business name or location, and investigate its monthly average expenditure. This way, one can discover that, in Las Vegas, people the spend the most on food and dining in The Venetian....Apple receives the most costly average expenditures >>Continue Reading
