The Wu Way » Holidays

Five ways to tarnish your company’s image in China

Jocelyn — Sat, 12 May 2007 19:20:02 +0000

1. Open a store at the Great Wall.

We could learn a lot from Starbucks on this front. Their store in the Forbidden City has generated enough negative PR to warrant high-level government discussions on closing it for good. Why? Because the move was perceived as an imperialistic invasion into one of China’s most sacred and beloved cultural icons. With China’s recent history of foreign marauders coming in and setting up shop there — without the blessing of average Chinese — the reaction is not surprising.

So if a Chinese official gives you the green light to open up at the Great Wall — or any other iconic cultural location in China — think twice.

2. Fudge your Chinese translations.

Chinese translation is sadly undervalued in the business world. Companies pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for branding, marketing, design and PR — but some expect to get their marketing materials and corporate identity translated on the cheap by a Chinese student. What’s the harm? A lot. Let’s say you do get a Chinese student to do your translations. If that person has little experience in the business world of your country, they may end up using the wrong terminology. Jean Jameson, a professional translator in the UK, underlines the potential risk in her article “Prevention is cheaper than cure“. Here’s an example:

A textile design company went to Shanghai for a major exhibition several months ago, and engaged a Chinese student to translate its marketing brochure. At the exhibition confused visitors pointed out that the brochure did not make sense – the Chinese student had translated ‘rug’ for ‘cushion’!

It could get even more embarrassing if it’s your tagline, company name or your actual name — these are the core of your company’s image.

Remember, your marketing materials and corporate identity are communicating for you when you’re not around, like a Chinese sales rep in print. Will yours be wearing sleek Armani or plaid polyester? The choice is yours.

3. Confuse Japan and China.

China has a love-hate relationship with Japan. They love the economic benefit of Japan’s investments and export purchases from the Mainland. But most average Chinese still hate the island nation. Some of the sweetest, most gentle Chinese people have surprised me with their poisonous diatribes on Japan. It’s not shocking when you consider that the Japanese occupation from the late 1920s to the 1940s was akin to the Holocaust for Chinese.

Yet Westerners continue to conveniently lump together all East Asian cultures. As far as some are concerned, if they look the same, the culture is the same.

This is complicated by popular culture, where Asians even take on roles outside of their respective cultures — sometimes, with volatile results. For example, the recent movie version of Memoirs of a Geisha intermingled Chinese and Japanese screen stars, and had cast mainly Chinese actresses as the leading geisha in the film. Anyone following the news also knows the film was banned in China. The primary backlash stemmed from — what else? — its portrayal of Chinese women as high-class prostitutes, a bitter reminder of the Chinese “comfort women” enslaved during the Japanese occupation.
So, take note: samurai, geisha, teppanyaki, sake, kimonos, manga. None of these are Chinese. And they may be to your conversation what the A-bomb was to Hiroshima.
4. All work and no play.

Remember the Shining and what happened to Jack? All work and no play also makes you a very dull, very undesirable partner to the Chinese.

Here in the US, we’re used to separating business from pleasure. We like to “get down to business,” so to speak. And when the meeting’s done, we shake hands and leave the office.

In China, the meeting is just the beginning. Chinese business partners invite you to elaborate teas, banquets, karaoke parties and even weekend trips to Hong Kong. You get chauffered around in the utmost luxury. All on your Chinese partners’ tabs.

After a few rounds of this, you’re just about ready to put on the breaks the next time you hear an invitation to chifan (eat dinner).

I’ve got news for you. When it comes to doing business in China, all of the above is just par for the course. Some of the most important headway between you and your prospective partner will probably happen while you’re crooning “Edelweiss” (a perennial favorite) together in a karaoke bar.

There’s another reason you shouldn’t miss the socializing. It just might suggest you’re not interested.
In China, people put a premium on the relationship. They want to know you and build trust. That kind of connection only happens beyond the office. I’ve heard from many execs that, by spending more leisure time with their Chinese partners, they experienced major breakthroughs in their business relationships.

5. Ignore superstition.

Superstition in China runs stronger than the Yangzi River. Even Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution, his almost deranged assault on traditional Chinese culture and history, couldn’t stamp out superstition…though it tried.

Examples of it abound in modern Chinese culture.

Consider the upcoming Beijing Olympics in 2008. Now, the number eight is one of the most treasured numbers in China because it sounds similar to the character for making money. China already got lucky hosting the event in ’08. So guess when the Olympics will begin? August — the eighth month of the year — on the eighth day of the month at exactly 8pm.

After the seven-day Labor Day and National Day holidays, work always resumes on the eighth of the month.

The Chinese national flag is in red and gold, the two most traditionally auspicious colors in Chinese culture.

But the question remains — how could superstition derail your business?
Picture this: your prospective Chinese partner invites you to his daughter’s wedding. It’s a great opportunity to get to know him better through social interaction following the advice above. You’ve heard that giving money is pretty standard, so you take out the nicest white envelope from your suitcase and put in the equivalent of $50 — 400 RMB.

Congratulations, you’ve just communicated your death wish for the new couple. White envelopes are only reserved for funerals, and the number four sounds a lot like the character for “death”.

Of course, this is an extreme example. Not all superstition snafus will hurt your reputation. For example, it’s unlikely that Chinese will turn the other way just because you didn’t use auspicious colors or characters in your corporate identity. But just imagine if you did. Chances are your counterparts in China will be impressed that you knew enough to go the extra mile.

Why fight superstition? Go with the flow — and watch your business reap the benefits.

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Full moon fever on the Lantern Festival

Jocelyn — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 03:16:21 +0000

The brightest moon of the new year welcomes a festival of light – the Lantern Festival, also the official end to Chinese New Year.

Thought the new year was over after Chinese New Year’s Eve? Think again. In China, celebrating the new year is not just a matter of swinging around a few firecrackers and enjoying a great meal. In the 15 days following Chinese New Year, nearly every day has its own customs and traditions. We won’t get into all of that, in the interest of space. But it all culminates on the 15th day of the new year which is — you guessed it — the Lantern Festival.

As you can see above, part of the lantern festival is about…well…getting out to enjoy these giant lanterns. To the uninitiated, lanterns might just seem like large glorified light-up floats. Unlike floats, lanterns just stay in one place — while people move around to have a look. Usually the lanterns draw from traditional Chinese folklore and, especially, the Chinese zodiac. Since this is the year of the pig, you can bet that, across the world, hundreds of thousands of people are gawking at glowing larger-than-life representations of these oinkers. Meanwhile, the kids often carry around little lanterns — either made by themselves or bought from a seller — as a part of the celebration.

Given the full moon, it’s not surprising then that “roundness” is an inextricable aspect of the holiday. Tang yuan (æ±¤åœ†), the traditional snack for Chinese Lantern Festival, are round balls of glutinous rice flour filled with sweet or savory paste. One time I celebrated the holiday with a friend who went out of her way to make a meal of nothing but round foods — including the tang yuan. And actually, the word describing the very act of family togetherness encouraged for the holiday — tuan yuan (å›¢åœ†ï¼‰– has a character in it meaning “round”.
It is also a time for auspiciousness and good fortune — celebrating the holiday is a part of that. And there are certain traditions that carry this idea forward. For example, some people will put a “lucky” filling in certain tang yuan, such as a strawberry. If you happen to get this filling in your tang yuan, you can expect good things to come in the new year.

Want to connect with Chinese people over this holiday? If you’re looking for a terrific symbol of Chinese New Year, you’ve found one with the lanterns. Think about how you might integrate them into your marketing and communications ideas. Consider also the idea of roundness surrounding the holiday, and use it to your advantage — whether in your marketing materials or your business dealings. For example, impress your guests with a meal of only circular foods! But whatever you do, make it auspicious.

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Reviving Chinese New Year in China — and what it means for the future of all things foreign

Jocelyn — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:29:34 +0000

Is Chinese New Year in need of a revival? The experts seem to think so.

Here’s the reason, taken from a Xinhua News article titled “Protect Chinese New Year” becomes a common idea in Chinese society:

This suggested idea of “Protect Chinese New Year” came about because these years Gao Youpeng [a professor at Henan University] felt “a definite threat to the safety of China’s traditional culture.” During the past 20-some years, Gao Youpeng conducted empirical surveys of traditional culture and regrettably found that young people — entranced with the internet and video games — increasingly followed Western civilization, craved Western holidays, but were more indifferent and lacked understanding of their own traditional holidays and culture.

This crisis is nothing new. After all, didn’t the government completely forget Chinese New Year’s Eve last month — the most important day of the year — when they left it out of the official national holidays? It certainly highlights China’s stubborn fascination with all things foreign.

Yet this new push to “protect Chinese New Year” also suggests a new search for a national identity. China’s traditional culture was all but demolished during the bulldozer run of the cultural revolution. Now people want to embrace those traditional cultural activities and customs that make China…well…China.

I think this means one thing: the “cache” of foreign brands, companies and products in China won’t last forever. Its days are numbered. Perhaps now we can still get away with waving foreignness in the face of the Chinese as a symbol of all that is exclusive, elegant and well-engineered. But sooner or later China will look closer to home and discover the beauty within.

In the meantime, it’s up to us to change the way we communicate with China. If Chinese people are putting more of a premium on their own culture, shouldn’t we do the same in how we deal with them? Think about your marketing materials, corporate identity or even how you interact with people in China — and how you can integrate a little Chinese culture into your approach.

Duilian…one of the most beloved Chinese New Year Symbols

Jocelyn — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:31:11 +0000

This image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons and user Chrislb, and falls under their GMU Free Documentation License.

Ever come across a door flanked by two vertical red strips with Chinese characters?

If so, you’ve seen duilian — one of the most important and revered Chinese New Year symbols and traditions.

Duilian are generally two long, vertical strips placed parallel to one another on each side of a door, with poetic and traditional Chinese sayings written on them. Duilian might appear to be a simple holiday decoration. But they go far beyond that. They represent the wishes and hopes that Chinese people have for the new year.

Let’s take for example the duilian I have on the door of my office. The one on the left reads “Da Zhan Hong Tu” or “May you achieve your great plan”. On the right, it says “Sheng Yi Xing Long” or “May your business be prosperous”.

As far as Chinese New Year Symbols go, duilian are perhaps the most enduring. That’s because they are displayed the entire year, sometimes looking tired and ragged (as in the case of many of my neighbors in Shanghai). But people don’t mind, because they believe duilian can bring good fortune throughout the year.

If you’re marketing your products and services in China, duilian are worth more than a cursory investigation. Certainly there’s the association that duilian have with Chinese New Year and auspiciousness. Chinese people, in case you haven’t noticed, will go to great lengths to ensure good luck. After all, the duilian are written on red paper — I probably need not remind you just how auspicious the color red is in China.

But the really auspicious part is the content itself — what is written on duilian. Knowing traditional duilian sayings — which are cherished by most Chinese people — can be a great way to connect with the public. In fact, my father-in-law has an entire book devoted just to duilian sayings that he uses to write his own duilian every year. These phrases have immediate cultural recognition, and people are attracted to them simply because they suggest good luck. Duilian sayings could be like gold when used in a marketing campaign, a name of a product/service, or an event.

So go ahead, see how these Chinese New Year Symbols can work for you. Wan Shi Ru Yi (may everything be as you wish)!

How the Chinese government may have stolen Chinese New Year

Jocelyn — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 03:27:52 +0000

The Chinese government may be treading on some thin ice with their recent announcement about the Chinese New Year. The problem? They’ve announced that the official holiday falls on February 18 to 24 — conveniently forgetting about February 17, Chinese New Year’s Eve. Here’s a rough translation of a portion of this article in BBC China:

The report cites Professor Xiang Yong of Beijing University as saying “according to China, Chinese New Year’s Eve is the most important day of the calendar year. All of the celebration and ceremony that represents Chinese New Year is carried out on this day, such as putting up duilian on the sides of your door, hanging lanterns, eating a family dinner together. It’s these traditional customs that give an ordinary day a completely different meaning, and make it the most respected and anticipated day of the year. This is what propels it to become a distinctive part of the Chinese heritage.”

Xiang Yong points out that this situation illuminates how the labor/employment bureau and government officials understand little of traditional Chinese cultural customs. When making decisions that affect the masses, they often fail to honor and preserve traditional Chinese culture. “For the customs of Chinese New Year, you can only do it on that one day for there to be real meaning. If you did it on the first day of the new year, it would lose the original meaning. Additionally, on that day, you would have very few people who would peacefully work. There’s no actual meaning to this. So, the officials should act according to the real situation, they ought to amend their proclamation on the holiday for Chinese New Year.

So what?

Well, if you don’t do Chinese New Year, let me put it into perspective. Imagine if someone suddenly told you that all businesses in your country had to stay open Christmas Eve — or even Christmas morning.

Chinese New Year’s Eve, which falls on February 17, is the most important day of the year in Chinese culture. That evening families share in what will probably be the most lavish, intimate and awaited dinner of the year. The finest dishes and wine will grace the table and everyone will gather around the TV to catch the annual CCTV Chinese New Year extravaganza.

But many people in China don’t live right down the street from their families. The mass migration during Chinese New Year is well-documented — and for those of us who have experienced it first-hand (yours truly) — a logistical nightmare. People need time to make it back home. And that’s time they won’t have if Chinese New Year’s Eve is immediately after they get off work.

I think this represents an interesting dilemma in Chinese culture — one which many marketers should take to heart. Culture matters in China. If there’s one thing you never want to forget when you’re making your plans, it’s culture. The government officials did and now they’re in for some serious criticism…and then some. Behind all of that glittery “communism with Chinese characteristics” (or “capitalism with Chinese characteristics” — take your pick) lies a country of people who yearn for respect towards their traditions. Show respect in what you do and you’ll win the hearts of the Chinese public.

On January 1, I do: New Year’s Day is popular for weddings in China

Jocelyn — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:32:31 +0000

What do you think of when January 1 approaches? An evening of wild bacchanalia? The apple drop in Times Square? Resolutions?

How about adding “weddings” to that? Because, if you’re Chinese, a wedding might just be the first thing on your new year to-do list.

Why is January 1 such a hot time for weddings?

Well, it’s no surprise that most Chinese weddings fall within official national holidays such as January 1 (also known as yuandan). These are usually the only times of the year everyone has the time off, and thus can manage the trip (long or short) to celebrate a new couple.

But there’s something more to January 1 than the rest. There is a Chinese saying that roughly translates to “whether or not you have money, if you find a wife you’ll have a good Chinese new year”. January 1 is the last holiday before Chinese new year — and a great opportunity with your friends and family off for the day. Put 2 and 2 together, and it’s no wonder Chinese couples are donning their white gowns and tuxedos in droves.

Some weddings, such as in this story from the BBC in Taipei (Chinese), are even done together, with rows of brides and grooms professing their love all at once.

If your product/service can be tied to the wedding industry, don’t miss out on this day.

Diamond sellers already do some brisk business at this time of the year, with their sales figures several times higher than normal (Chinese).

But don’t forget to do your homework on those specialty items or services that appeal to a Chinese audience. Here’s something to chew on: a gold peony, which symbolizes auspiciousness, wealth and happiness, is one new must-have hot item for the new bride and groom in China.

Christmas becomes the third biggest consumer spending holiday in China

Jocelyn — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:19:30 +0000

Christmas may not be an indigenous holiday to China — but retailers had a VERY merry one this year. Merry enough to merit dubbing Christmas the third largest consumer shopping season in China.

Here’s the story published in Sohu (partially translated by yours truly):

Christmas Day is not an official holiday in China. Yet this didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for consumer spending in the least. According to online surveys conducted in Shanghai, among young people aged 14 to 30, 70 percent will choose to dine and enjoy themselves lavishly on Christmas, and 88 percent of lovers will choose to go to a Western-style restaurant to eat out.

Smart business owners, from hotels to small Western-style restaurants, cannot give up this grand opportunity. They should use any means possible to create a Christmas atmosphere and come up with a menu or program that encapsulates the season.

The Four Seasons Hotel, located in the center of Shanghai on Huaihai Road, held a special Christmas buffet where each person paid 1,700 RMB [Jocelyn: a little over $200], an increase of 15 percent over the previous year. That price is seven to eight times higher than what one would normally pay on a regular evening. The hotel employees said that the evening’s dinner was booked almost completely full, showing the draw and value of such a big Christmas dinner in Shanghai.

The note about 88 percent of young lovers in Shanghai preferring Western-style food once again reminds us how much of an opportunity this is for restauranteurs — and others in the hospitality industry — marketing their concepts in China. If you can design a beautiful, romantic evening, they WILL come.

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Get out the Ginseng and Maotai: giving gifts during Chinese New Year

Jocelyn — Sat, 23 Dec 2006 20:10:26 +0000

Ginseng. Vitamin supplements. Top-shelf liquor. Fancy snack foods. These might be a few of the things gracing my shopping list as gifts for Chinese New Year.

Ginseng a gift?

You bet. Ginseng, one of many treasured remedies in Chinese medicine, is a welcome gift for more senior folks. As are any number of nutritional and vitamin supplements. It’s an important distinction…never give these products to a younger audience, with perhaps the exception of vitamins or remedies for beautification. I remember I tried gifting Ginseng to the parents of a friend who clearly didn’t see themselves in the “Ginseng generation”…later on they ended up surreptitiously re-gifting it to their older relatives.

If you ever get the opportunity to visit a Chinese supermarket, go to the aisle selling these medicinals. The packaging is often a work of art in and of itself — and as this article attests to, at times over the top.

Why are these items so prized as gifts? I believe it is a modern reminder of the rich culture of Chinese traditional medicine, where certain remedies were nearly as prized as precious jewelry and metals.

Besides the tried-and-true products such as Ginseng and Spirulina, there is also a host of proprietary Chinese nutritional supplements. One of the most beloved of these is Qing Chun Bao, a capsule that offers the age-old yet somewhat dodgy promise of youthful vitality. I can’t speak to the efficacy of it, though if the preponderance of advertising for this product in China is any measure, people are clearly buying it.

Then there’s also the fast-growing market for Western vitamin brands. Because these are foreign (thus having a certain cache) and sometimes priced out of the reach of average consumers, they are hot Chinese New Year gifts. I’ll never forget how one of my neighbors in Hangzhou bragged about how people gifted her a slew of Amway vitamins. Amway was the first to make their mark in this category, but now recent newcomers such as Nuskin are grabbing market share.

Now for a nice shot of…er at…alcohol. During Chinese New Year, I think the advertising was almost half and half on nutritional products and alcohol. Nianye fan — the most important meal of the year that falls on the eve of Chinese New Year — always includes a fine wine or liquor. Top-shelf brands such as Wuliangchun, Jiannanchun or Maotai are prized nearly as much as the traditional Chinese remedies — and it shows in the pricing. Men especially will feel flattered to receive a “famous brand” of wine or liquor, since they tend to be the ones imbibing at the table.

Cigarettes also need a plug here. While cigarettes aren’t special to Chinese New Year, they often go hand-in-hand with alcohol. If you’re going to give the gift of cigarettes choose a well-respected brand such as Marlboro or 555. Anything else might be social suicide.

Snacks shouldn’t be overlooked…things such as pastries, cookies and nutritious biscuits. Seniors love them during the Chinese New Year holiday, and they work for just about everyone else.

So, you’re marketing your product in China for Chinese New Year. Make sure you don’t forget the packaging, something I alluded to above. Packaging matters. We’re talking about a country here where face is extremely important. Good packaging helps to preserve and perhaps lend face to individuals. Most of the nutritional supplements, liquors and wines, and some snacks have special packaging just for the holidays, including a special bag to match the item.

Also think about how to make your packaging design more auspicious — in color, symbolism and name. Chinese people quite often make choices based on the inherent or implied good fortune. This isn’t going to, say, save your product from utter failure. But it gives your audience one less reason to walk away.

Even if you’re not selling the traditional Chinese New Year gifts, you can still get in on the season. How might your product fit into the holiday — or evoke a sense of the holiday? Advertisers do it all the time during the Christmas season, and the same could be done with Chinese New Year. Consider cross-promotion with a traditional Chinese New Year gift that fits with your company’s mission or product.

If you’re doing business in China, keep up your relationships with a well-chosen gift for Chinese New Year. Here are my short recommendations:

Male Chinese executives/husbands of Chinese executives: top-shelf liquor, wine or cigarettes
Female Chinese executives/wives of Chinese executives: nutritional supplements for beautification such as Qing Chun Bao, or vitamins from a foreign company such as Amway or Nuskin.

Will you be my “zui aide” sweetheart…on Christmas: why Christmas is a romantic holiday in China and what it means for marketing and communications

Jocelyn — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 23:33:08 +0000

Love is in the air…the lighted streets are decked with couples unabashedly linking arms and eyes…ah, romance…

[Insert sound of record scratching] Wait a minute! Aren’t we getting ahead of our holidays here? Valentine’s Day isn’t for another two months.

Au contrair, zui aide. This isn’t Valentine’s Day I’m talking about…it’s Christmas…in China. Here’s what one journalist writes about this in the That’s Beijing Blog:

For young lovers, Christmas is a holiday tinged with romance. According to the Wuhan Morning Post, Wan, an internet engineer, thought he had forever won the heart of his lover by presenting a heart-shaped candle to her on Christmas Eve several years ago. But this year, he feels nothing but morbid fear with the approach of Christmas. He explains, â€œShe has became very hard to please, complaining that my [Christmas] plans are no longer romantic. One month before Christmas, she would ask me how we are going to celebrate it. She is driving me nuts.â€

Just replace “Christmas” with “Valentine’s Day” and you’ve got a not-all-that uncommon scenario for some fellows over here — two months down the road, mind you.

It is indeed like a revolution, a modern-day “long march” of the couples — hardly a street corner on Christmas Eve is without a young couple merrily headed to an intimate dinner, a movie, or perhaps a private karaoke party.

It’s funny how holidays translate into other cultures. How did Christmas come to be so…[blushing]…romantic? Anecdotally, my Chinese friends used to say it was all of those Hollywood Christmas movies — with plenty of rings, proposals and kisses by the Christmas tree. Christmas Eve is, after all, one of the most popular times of the year for proposals — and those jewelry stores never let us forget it.

When it comes to marketing around Christmas in China, leaving out the romance might just make your target audience feel a little stood up.

If you’re running a restaurant, bar or hotel, dim those lights, bring out the candles and make those young lovers swoon. You could feature a special menu…bring in an especially romantic musical or theatrical act…or just throw a party in the name of love.

As for other services and products…who says you can’t get a little marketing mileage out of the festivities? Think about creative ways of acknowledging the holiday and helping your clients or audience turn up the heat for Christmas Eve. For example, if you’re selling a product, why not offer free chocolates or roses with a certain purchase? Professional services and those of us selling business-to-business can get in the fun by, say, organizing an evening of romantic events for your best clients and their spouses. Remember, people in China like to mix personal lives and business (something I’ll touch on more in future columns).

In the meantime, it’s Christmas — so will you be my “zui aide” sweetheart?

The Marketing Gold in China’s National Day Holiday

Jocelyn — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:38:12 +0000

China’s National Day Holiday has just passed us — and they don’t call it “Golden Week” (é»„é‡‘å‘¨ï¼‰for nothing.

Take for example this CCTV report surveying 36 retail stores in Beijing (Chinese). By October 4, their combined sales from the holiday already topped 143 million yuan — or around 18 million US dollars — which is an increase of 13.1 percent compared to the previous year. One chain of stores — Huatang — sold over 9 million yuan, a little over 1.1 million US dollars, in just one day!

Additionally, the China daily reports that “China’s gross consumer goods retail sales hit 300 billion yuan (US$37.5 billion) [during the seven day holiday]…up 14.5 per cent on the same period of last year….”

And it’s not surprising. This Sohu article (Chinese) — which starts off by pointing out how big consumer sales are during the holiday — mentions how more and more people are staying closer to home for their travel, instead of taking long, tiring trips and facing the crowds. No, these people want to visit nearby scenic spots, spend more quality time with family…and yes, even shop. Some families even take that shopping to a new level, looking at cars and even homes during their holiday.

According to a study by China Polling of Chinese women about shopping habits during the major holidays, 62.5 percent of the respondents plan to spend more money. China Polling also noted “that 64.5 percent of our target demographic wants brands which they feel are reliable [my emphasis].”

Starting to see the “gold” in all of this? If you’re marketing a product in China, you can’t afford to miss this holiday.

So where do you start? The obvious is promotions. China Polling points out that 68.5 percent of their respondents are in search of that irresistible promotion to lure them over.

Guomei Department stores offer a great example of how to do it (Chinese). In addition to offering some serious discounts (as much as 90 percent off the original price), they went above and beyond with their support services. For example, they invited electronics experts from the manufacturing plants to educate consumers about some of the latest high-end electronics on the market. They also increased their service staff and delivery trucks during the holiday to handle the increase in orders.

But retail stores aren’t the only ones in on this. Nearly every major bank in China has their own National Day rewards scheme encouraging consumers to get out and shop (Chinese). Incentives range from a chance to win a trip to Singapore to subscriptions to Vogue.