5 Obstacles You Need to Conquer to Sell to Chinese Customers

Having the fastest growing middle class in the world, Chinese customers can add an extra boost to your company’s bottom line. However, Chinese customers are some of the most sophisticated shoppers in the world having been through unprecedented change culturally and economically in the past few decades. Nevertheless, the endeavour can be hugely rewarding if you can tap into their shopping habits and overcome a few obstacles. How can you sell to them effectively?

Below are the 5 obstacles you need to overcome:

1. Language Barriers

Most Chinese customers don’t speak English. For your message to get across, you will need content written in Chinese. You will need promotional material, a website or even an employee who can advertise to them of your products and services in their own language.

2. Different Hangout Places

Chinese people don’t hang out at the same place as your regular customers. Instead of Facebook, they have Wechat. Twitter, Weibo. eBay, Taobao etc… Are you seen by where your Chinese customers spend most their time?

3. Different Shopping Habits

Chinese customers are some of the most sophisticated shoppers in the world. This is because China turned from the world’s largest factory to the current world’s biggest consumer and have seen and experienced everything in between. Are you able to narrow down what their shopping habits are in relations to the industry you work in?

4. Different cultures

Chinese people value family above all else. That is why it is not uncommon for grown adults to live with their parents in China. They do not like to openly talk about their age and although they like to save money they are willing to pay a premium on quality or boastful products or services. These are some of the considerations you need to take into if you want to successfully sell to Chinese customers.

5.  Invisibility

No matter how big or influential you are in your home country, chances are you will still need to start from ground zero when attempting to sell to Chinese customers. That means all the good will and followers that you previously had will mean very little.

Conclusion

Selling to Chinese customers can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences you will ever have. By proactively learning and understanding about Chinese customer mentality and culture and overcoming the above obstacles, you will have an easier time.