Marketing Pilgrim

Despite the Internet’s ever-increasing sphere of influence, the BIGresearch 1st Quarter 2007 China Quarterly Survey finds that the Internet isn’t as influential in Chinese shopping as US. The survey focuses on the 18-34 year old demographic, which consists of 380 million (including 191 million men),

MediaPost states that the key findings of the study include:

• European brands continue to be preferred above U.S. brands in key categories such as Clothing, Cosmetics, Furniture and Jewelry
• Consumer confidence remains very high
• Planned expenditures on electronics are much higher in China than in the U.S.
• Chinese men and women say surfing the net is #1 leisure activity
• Word of mouth is even more influential to Chinese consumers than U.S. [consumers] for Electronics, Clothing, Autos and Pharmaceuticals

Though Word of Mouth ranks as the number one influence for electronics purchases for men ages 18-34 at 52.6% in the U.S., only 38.6% of Chinese men ages 18-34 say the same.

So, while “Word of mouth is even more influential to Chinese consumers than U.S. [consumers] for electronics,” 52.6% of U.S. men rate WOM as the #1 influence and only 38.6% of Chinese men do. Hm…

Here’s what BIGresearch lists as the top 3 media influences for electronics (for men ages 18-34):

China

• Read article on product
• Magazines
• Word of Mouth

US

• Word of Mouth
• TV/Broadcast
• Internet Advertising

For as much as we tend to tout the advances in Internet advertising in China, it still lacks the influence that its American counterpart exerts. I’d say that it’s a function of reach, but “Chinese men and women say surfing the net is #1 leisure activity.” Hm…