Overview
The Chinese economy continues its dynamic performance, averaging around 10% growth for the last 5 years. As barriers to entry are reduced, more and more businesses are considering their entry into China. This is in an effort to capture some percentage of the returns generated by China's 1.3 billion consumers.
This series of reports is intended to provide fashion retailers, who are preparation to enter China for the first time, with an overview of the Chinese fashion business. In addition, the reports act a quick update for companies who have already entered China as it touches on the industry, trends, brands available, wholesale and retail pricing, type of wear cutting preferred, consumer behavior and updated regulations. A key challenge when entering China is the different regions in China. Consumer behaviour and preferences for food, fashion and life style vary dramatically in these regions. For example, retailers should not assume that products or Fashion styles that sell in Shanghai will also be popular in Xiamen which is in southern China.
The series of reports admits:
Report 1 Overview of China Fashion Industry
Report 2 Regulations: an overview of the regulative environment in China
Report 3 Regional Analysis: Analysis of the key regions in China from a retail perspective
Report 4 Women's Fashion and Consumer Behaviour
Report 5 Teen's Fashion and Consumer Behaviour
Report 6 Children's Fashion and Consumer Behaviour
Report 7 Men's Fashion and Consumer Behaviour
Report 8 Recommendations
Economic Conditions in China
China's economy grew by 10.2% in 2005 and 10.7% in 2006 making it the fastest growing major economy in the world. It is forecasted by the Banks (Quarterly Bank reports) that GDP would drop to 8% in China in 2007. (Goldman Sachs), though in our opinion GDP rate may be higher ascribable increased production and consumption. In 2006 China's urban living expenditure increased at a higher rate than GDP, both on a national too as provincial basis. Despite strong growth, inflation corpse moderate with monthly inflation averaging 1.3% year on year from January to September 2006. It is forecasted that annual growth in consumer prices will reach 1.8% in the early 2007. This is because higher land prices would impact production costs. Increased investment would in turn feed inflationary pressures.
The government's tolerance of greater Yuan volatility and the higher GDP has caused expectations of further exchange rate reform, which would result in faster currency appreciation. The potential impact would be that foreign wear brands would find that their prices could be more pronto accepted in the Chinese market.
Retail Industry in China
Increasing income in China and Government efforts in encouraging consumer expenditure have resulted in rising domestic consumption. Statistics show that total retails gross sales of consumer goods increased by 12.5% to RMB 6,718 billion in 2005. However, it drops slightly to some RMB 6,400 billion (US$770b) in 2006. One of the factors is the import quota obligatory by US and European Union in 2006 (O&L). However, with the increase in income and domestic consumption, it is expected that the growth rate of retail gross sales can be maintained at about 10% in the next 5 years (O&L projection & Goldman Sachs Global Investment Report)
China's wear market has been growing at 7% and is now a USD40 billion industry. Department stores account for some 40% of the market. This admits stores like Parkson, Shanghai Bailian and foreign brands like Wal-Mart. Clothing brands sold in these department stores admit both international brands like Hugo Boss and local brands like Li Ning, Borne, Joe One. Franchise chains and local individual wear outlets in China account for the other 60% share.
Profit Margins for retail chains in China are high. Due to the lower costs of manufacturing in China, profit margins by these Clothing brands can be as high as 50.5% for brands like Giordano (2005) and Ports(70.4% in 2005) . The cities of influence for fashion in China are Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. In addition locals and tourists visit Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen for major fashion brands at cheaper prices. For manufacturing, there are different specialty regions. For example, Ningbo is more illustrious for manufacturing of bags patc Guangdong especially Guangzhou is more illustrious for apparels.
The Different Regions in China
Due to the geographical enormity of China and the huge variation of economic development between cities, market potential differs from city to city. The table below shows the disparity in GDP per capita, where the wealth is kick in the coastal cities. Cities are classified into tiers supported universe and per capita GDP, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou are tier 1 cities. Report 3 explores in detail regional differences in the Chinese fashion business.
Fashion Industry in China
Market Segments
Initially there were two markets for apparel in China:
1. low priced basic apparel sold under local brand name calling and offered in Chinese department stores, foreign hypermarkets or small family closely-held specialty chains
2. luxury brands sold either in franchised boutiques or upmarket department stores.
Due to the zoom of China's bourgeoisie a new category has emerged, involving quality brands, both Chinese and foreign, being sold in department stores and specialty stores. Consumers in China's bourgeoisie are more and more sophisticated, rigorous higher quality, variety and innovation from their retailers. The new category is extremely split and is dominated by specialty casual brands from Hong Kong, such as Esprit (514 outlets), Giordano (644) outlets, Baleno (980 outlets) and Glorious Sun (1,076 outlets). The new segment has significant growth potential as it is cheap to the bourgeoisie but positioned at a price point slightly higher than local brands. Prices in Clothing have born slightly in 2006. This is ascribable the increased competition in the fashion business in China (O&L, 2006).
In recent years there are not only an increase of Hong Kong, local Chinese wear brands and international brands but also an increase of foreign brands. These brands may be mid grape-sized chains that are well established in their home countries but not out of their countries. Example Singaporean chains like Samuel and Kevin. In addition, there are brands that are created ascribable the popularity of other brands. Example the wear brand, Fish, in China has spawned other similar brands like 3 Fishes, Fishes so on.
Expansion into Second Tier Cities
The retail market is beginning to reach maturity in Tier 1 cities like Shanghai. Thus the need to accurately target specific consumer groups is much more significant in these areas. As a result retailers are more and more expanding into second and third tier cities like Chengdu, Nanping, Tianjin. Major Brands like Jean West has now gone to secondary and third bed cities too. The attraction of these secondary regions is increased by the migration from the countryside to the regional cities, increasing the size of the second and third tier urban retail market. This would be detailed in consequent reports.
Consumer Attitudes towards Brands
Consumers are extremely brand conscious and the fact that one can afford these products is seen as a status symbol. Luxury brands like LV, Christian Dior, are therefore often sought-after after when buying apparel and cosmetics. For many segments, particularly jr. consumers, foreign brands that are well glorious are still regarded as superior and are seen as a status symbol. Brands that are made in US and Europe are more extremely valued than those from Australia, or other Asian countries like Singapore, Taiwan. Due to the high prices, there are also a mint of high end counterfeit wear and shoe brands in China.
Attitudes to domestic brands have changed as explicit closely-held companies have been privatized and produce better quality products. Brands like Borne, Li Ning, Hong guo are very popular locally. Hong Kong brands like Giordano are also popular though the market share has shriveled recently. Pride in the nation's accomplishments has resulted in many consumers preferring local brands, all other things being equal. These would be further detailed in consequent reports
Consumer Attitudes towards Price
Although Chinese consumers are price sensitive, a recent survey shows that consumers are more and more concerned about product quality and client service, particularly with respect to apparel. Accordingly these elements should be emphasised in advertising and promotional material.
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