Americans have always taken pride purchasing products “Made in the U.S.A.,” but did you know that Chinese consumers’ hunger to buy our homegrown goods is steadily increasing?
A public opinion poll of China’s emerging urban middle class-sometimes referred to as “Chuppies”-revealed that they would like to see a greater selection of American goods in their local stores. Conducted by Research International and commissioned by UPS, the survey polled 1,140 Chinese consumers between the ages of 20 and 59 in six cities.
Topping the list of most coveted products are high-quality, personal care toiletries, such as shampoo, shower gel or toothpaste. Next on the wish list are consumer electronics, such as digital cameras or laptops, followed by apparel and fashion accessories and music and DVDs/videos.
When deciding what to buy, quality comes first to Chinese consumers. Sixty percent of those polled cited quality as the most important factor considered before buying a product. Price/value followed at 18 percent, which was more important to older respondents than younger ones.
“This survey shows that Chinese consumers are interested in more quality American products, offering great opportunities to many American small businesses,” said Kurt Kuehn, UPS senior vice president for worldwide sales and marketing. “UPS already operates 21 direct flights per week between the United States and China, illustrating that the spending power of this middle class is exploding.”
The company initiated the research to help its customers learn which U.S. goods are most in demand and to stay abreast of consumer trends within China.
The study also offers a glimpse into the spending habits across different age groups. For example, Chinese consumers 40 years old and over are more interested in imported toiletries and health care products/pharmaceuticals. In contrast, 20- to 29-year-old consumers are most attracted by consumer electronics and American apparel and fashion accessories.
While American consumers regularly buy Chinese products, Chinese consumers would like to buy more American products, from digital cameras to dental care.