While it’s no secret that China does things its own way, there are a lot of mysteries and unknown forces behind the red giant’s motives, especially for those who have not spent any appreciable time inside the mainland. For those in the wholesale and retail business, it’s often easier – and far more tempting – to simply ignore the variables, and allow the numbers to take over, approaching everything from a purely mathematical and economics-driven model that takes the pressure off of anyone who might have to face some messy cultural and personal choices.
This, unfortunately, is not the way it works. Even as you read this now, the world is talking about the latest wave of news-making events coming out of the Far East: Avatar, the box-office smash, has been getting closer and closer to overtaking the world record for ticket sales, and it has already become the number one movie in China. This comes after the record-breaking grosses of the movie 2012, which very recently took the top spot in the PRC as well. While James Cameron is laughing all the way to the bank, China’s government is not as enthusiastic about the idea of a Hollywood movie captivating people’s minds and hearts with such efficiency. The response? Quickly pull the movie from over 1,000 theaters, and replace it with something more Party-friendly. Ouch.
No more Avatar, but…
you can watch a movie
about Confucius instead!
Google has been both on and off the ropes in the past week, as the Internet search juggernaut openly snubbed Chinese leadership in frustration, after failing to make their desired numbers on the mainland since they attempted to insert themselves with Google.cn in 2006. There are many reasons for Google’s lack of momentum in the PRC market, but after making such a public and vocal statement these days… the cards have been laid down, and the stakes have been raised for the next hand. I’m also anticipating a new wave of third-party tech to emerge, as the demand for software that permits users to leap the GFW (Great Firewall of China) floods the market.
Where all of this goes will be anyone’s guess, but it’s going to open up a whole slew of new opportunities for those who wish to build relationships and make business with China, as the emerging belief seems to be that there are more than a few ways to access the inside mechanisms of the PRC, and it is no longer necessary to play by the old rules of the game, now that so many ordinary citizens have become empowered by the instant connectivity of the Internet. There may be some real options developing, as a double-digit drop in China’s export industry has triggered a massive campaign to gain market share from other countries to boost sagging numbers from manufacturers and wholesalers inside the mainland. It stands to reason that the Dragon will be a little less assertive in the future, when many of its customers go from being purely consumer-based, to those seeking to do the selling. It looks almost like the wholesale business – which had dutifully built up the PRC in a few short decades – is now a force to be reckoned with as the global community rejects impractical obstacles as they continue to Find it. Source it. Profit!
