7. Looking into the Chinese Consumer Mind

Marketers often debate whether the Chinese have the same fundamental needs as the consumers in the rest of the world. Do they also open their purse strings to the lure of protecting their loved ones, exhibiting their status and the joy of camaraderie? Or is the Chinese consumer a different animal—and is driven by very different needs and desires? Some very erroneous views prevail around the subject—including that the Chinese consumers are not emotional and only go by very tangible product characteristics, or that they are not susceptible to the charm of humor, or that they always display a collectivist tendency making them immune to the glory of individualistic excellence. In this chapter I look into the basic values of the Chinese consumers, which influence all their behaviors, and find some surprising and some predictable insights into their minds.