To Enter or Not to Enter the Chinese Market?

Alain Regad, the president of Gerbe, said:”We already have a plan to enter China. We’ll firstly enter into Harvey Nichols department store in Hong Kong. And we hope that in the near future, we can cooperate with Chinese partners like Harvey Nichols. We need partners who are familiar with the local consumers to help us open the Chinese market.”

Valerie Lemant, the lingerie division director from Eurovet, said: “China is moving very very fast as well. If you hesitate for a while, you will lose your chance. So I want to say, don’t be late, just come here to China. The chances wait for no one. “

“4 years ago, Eurovet is still a baby-born show in China, maybe with 70 exhibitors. But we have over 150 exhibitors coming from all over the world. And this figure grows year after year. It really is a scratch of the dynamism of the market in Asia and especially in China. The outlook for the Chinese market is very optimistic.” She said.

She also recommended that European brands can reach a wide range of excellent sales channels& networks from the help of Chinese distributors.

Disadvantage and Advantage

There is also a sense among some in the foreign business community that regulations and rules are selectively applied to the advantage of Chinese companies.

However, the regulatory environment in China is getting much more clear than it was five years ago. And it is also easier for foreign companies to recruit talented people from the local workforce than it was just a few years ago.

And some foreign companies are also concerning about the differences like culture difference in Chinese market.

Eurovet said: “The consumption habits, figure and size are quite different between European consumers and Chinese consumers. And their way of thinking as well as culture background are different. Therefore, we should first respect them.”

Even if an American company goes to Europe or a European company goes to the US there are differences but the differences are not as great as when they go to China. It has the longest continuous civilization in the world and the culture and the way of doing things is very different.

Simone Perele said: “In the recent 10 years, Chinese consumption increased rapidly. More and more young Chinese have become big-spending consumers. Around 15million to 20million Chinese people have reach to European consumption standard. They are willing to splash money on luxury goods to show off. So I believe that Chinese consumers can recognize the value of French Lingerie. And the French lingerie consumption will rise gradually.”