Tags: GAP 2016
Well, let’s pack our bags! China just released a regulation that severely restricts importing cross-boarder and direct-to-consumer retail goods, so I think we’re done here. Around 1200 products were placed on a list of allowable import goods, and, unfortunately, the only copy I have is twenty-four pages of simplified Chinese characters (or are they traditional?). In any case, I cannot read either; and what’s the chance an air filter will be on that short list anyway? Not likely!
We reached Shanghai on 7th May for our GAP project after a long flight of around fifteen hours from Chicago. On the first night, we took a stroll in the nearby market and saw that almost all the stores, restaurants, etc. have inscriptions in Chinese. We met hardly anyone on the street or in the restaurants who could understand English. It took almost 30 minutes for us to convey to the waiter what we wanted for food (read tofu and chicken). As the days rolled by, we became more comfortable communicating in broken Chinese and sign language.
We started our primary marketing research in Shanghai on Monday, 9th May by visiting some electronic stores in certain malls. We wanted to better understand consumer behavior and pricing, and also be able to estimate the market size if we introduce our client's product to the Chinese market. Trying to talk to the sales representatives at these stores as college students working on a project, we realized that they were quite secretive about their sales information, and even refrained from sharing any in depth information about the products that they had on display.
It is so difficult to travel in China! Given that Chinese and English do not have a common alphabet, getting around is a challenge. While most signs here in Shanghai have the English version of the word underneath it, this translation does not always help. I can look at a map application on my phone, but I cannot type in an address that can be found by the application. Having the English name of the place I am trying to travel to does not work. Only by having the Chinese address will a taxi take me where I need to go. With the advent of Uber, transportation should be easier.
Our first week in Shanghai has been a great experience. I was very impressed with the house that we rented, although, from the outside, it looked less than inviting. Overall, the amenities have been very good, and basically what I expected (and what I would expect in a country of China’s level). The neighborhood where we are located has been interesting as well. It is close to the large shopping areas, the old French colonial quarter, and the famous Shanghai skyline.