UK Export Advice

In this season of UK Export Advice we’ve been hearing about how to use cross border e-commerce to sell consumer goods to China In this episode we’re getting a real insight into what life in China is really like so we can better understand Chinese consumers. My name is David James and in this episode I’m talking to Yishu Wang, a marketing consultant who helps Western brands access China and vice versa. But we’re not talking about marketing strategy we’re talking about what daily life is really like for the millions of Chinese middle class families. This is by far my favourite and I think the most insightful and valuable episode in this current season because I think it begins to help us understand just a little bit about who we are trying to sell to and their life and aspirations.

OK, so in previous episodes of UK Export Advice we’ve heard that the Chinese already buy $144 billion worth of goods using cross border e-commerce, that means Chinese consumers are browsing e-commerce sites for companies in other countries, yes British ones too, and buying $144 billion worth of stuff and paying for it to be shipped to China. And by 2025 China will account for 50% of the global luxury market - yes that’s right in less than five years half of all luxury goods bought globally will be bought by Chinese consumers. We’ve also heard it’s really not that difficult to sell consumer goods into China with the right partners and strategy. So it’s easier than ever for British luxury brands and retailers to sell into the world’s biggest luxury market. But. How do you successfully translate your brand so that it will work in China? We’re not just talking about language here we’re talking about what your brand communicates and how to make it desirable to the right Chinese consumers. My name is David James and in this episode I’m talking once again to Tom Griffiths of Verb China https://verbchina.com/ If you would like me to produce podcasts or videos for your organisation do get in touch https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjamescommunications/

By 2025 50% of all luxury goods sold worldwide will be bought by Chinese consumers. I’m going to say that again because it’s super important if you produce or sell luxury British goods. By 2025 50% of all luxury goods sold worldwide will be bought by Chinese consumers. Are you a luxury British brand? Have you got a China strategy? No? Well listening to this episode of UK Export Advice might just be the best 30 minutes you ever invest in your business. My name is David James and in this episode I’m talking to Tom Griffiths, Commercial Director of Verb China. Tom has a black belt in luxury branding for the Chinese market and Verb China are the grand masters of getting British luxury brands successfully into China. If you’d like me to make a podcast or videos for your business drop me a line on [email protected] or look me up on LinkedIn - I make videos in Chinese too if you’re serious about China. https://verbchina.com/ http://brighthorngroup.com/

Do you want a slice of the $144 billion that Chinese consumers spend on cross border e-commerce each year? Yes? Well the first question is what is cross border e-commerce? And the second question is how does it work when trading with China? My name is David James and in this episode of UK Export Advice I’m talking to Jack Porteous, Client Services Director at Samarkand Global to get the answer to these questions and plenty more. Just as a quick aside, I’m David the host and producer of UK Export Advice. If you would like me to produce a podcast or video for your organisation just get in touch via LinkedIn. Do check out my other export podcast 'Midlands Export' which I produce for the Department for International Trade.

In this season of UK Export Advice we’ve been looking for bright spots in the global economy so that we can help British businesses export to keep their revenue positive. So far we’ve spoken to a number of guests about cross border e-commerce trade with China and they have all said that demand for British health foods, supplements and other wellness products has been growing strongly. With that in mind I thought I would check in with Bolst Global, a company that helps British food and drink brands in general and health food and supplement products in particular sell into international markets. My name is David James and in this episode I’m talking to Victoria Boldison founder of Bolst Global to find out how the sector is performing and why going global in a downturn could be a really smart thing to do. To find out more about Bolst Global go to https://bolstglobal.com/

China is the world’s biggest consumer of luxury goods and the percentage of purchases made online on cross border e-commerce platforms is increasing rapidly. China was already the world’s biggest spender on e-commerce marketplaces and corona virus has accelerated the shift from bricks and mortar to online retail. If you are in retail or have a consumer product you need to have a look at what’s going on in China because China is leading the way in digital innovation. My name is David James and in this episode of UK Export Advice I’m talking to Jack Porteous, Client Services Director at Samarkand Global. Samarkand Global use clever technology and China expertise to help British businesses enter and thrive in the huge, competitive and highly rewarding world of Chinese e-commerce. If you’re in retail or consumer products in the UK why would you want to work with Samarkand Global on entering China, well as so many of us have struggled with revenue Samarkand are having record month after record month. So if you haven’t already it’s time to start paying attention to China and getting educated on the world’s most innovative digital economy. https://www.samarkand.global/ http://ukexportadvice.co.uk/

In this episode of UK Export Advice we are continuing to investigate whether China is the right market to focus on as it starts to recover from COVID-19. My name is David James and in this episode I’m talking to Matthew Grandage or Grandage Consulting. Matthew explains that although beginning to trade with China is unlikely to be quick way to boost sales - strategically it could be exactly the right time to get involved as Chinese businesses are innovating incredibly rapidly and will be world leaders in almost every field within 10 years. So if you’re an innovative company that doesn’t want to get left behind by Chinese innovation now is the time to get involved to give yourselves a chance to keep up. https://www.grandage-consulting.co.uk/

At UK Export Advice we’re continuing with our investigation into how Chinese consumer confidence is returning after the country emerges from at least the first wave of COVID-19. My name is David James and in this episode i’m talking to Antoaneta Becker, Director for the Consumer Economy at the China Britain Business Council. You can find out more about how the China Britain Business Council can help you enter the Chinese market at CBBC.org

As COVID-19 continues to turn our lives upside down, here at UK Export Advice we’re looking for ways to keep calm and carry on. As demand in the UK, Europe and the USA falls and global recession looms we’re investigating if now could be the perfect moment to start trading with China. The retail sector in the UK has been hit particularly hard with most shops closed and consumers changing their online buying behaviours. In China over 600 million people regularly shop online. 10 million of them are already buying goods directly from UK online stores and paying for them to be shipped to China. There is obviously demand for British consumer goods in China but how should we go about engaging with the market and dealing with sales and fulfillment. My name is David James and in this episode of UK Export Advice I’m talking to Byron Contable, Chief Marketing Officer at Avenue51. Avenue51 have a brilliant e-commerce solution that allows British retailers and consumer goods manufacturers to easily and cost effectively sell on over 150 online market places in China. You can find out more about how Avenue51’s solution works in episode 37 of UK Export Advice. In this episode I hear from Byron how consumer and retail behaviour in China has changed, how the reduction in air travel has hit cargo prices and how we can work together to help British retail go digital, go global and keeping going. Do visit Avenue51.com to find out more about selling online to China.

So coronavirus has pulled the rug from under our feet. All the plans we had for 2020 are out the window and we find ourselves in an unfamiliar world with no clear way to understand what the future holds. There are two clear imperatives, keeping our people safe and staying financially solvent. At UK Export Advice we’re searching for any bright spots in the global economy where British businesses could turn their attention to keep the wheels of industry turning so we can stay afloat and weather the storm. With that in mind in this series we’re going to be initially focusing on China, the world’s second biggest economy with traditionally impressive growth. But perhaps more importantly given the current circumstances they seem to be emerging at least from the first wave of coronavirus and are reigniting their economy. My name is David James and in this episode of UK Export Advice I’m talking to Scott Muir, Director and Founder of ReGroup China and Regroup Media. ReGroup deliver digital marketing campaigns for British businesses in China. Digital marketing in China is completely different to the rest of the world as most of the platforms like Amazon, Facebook and Google that we think of ubiquitous just don’t exist. China is however very tech savy and is the world’s biggest digital market with the coronavirus accelerating the uptake of new technology and online shopping habits. So if you’re searching for options on how to support your turnover and position your business for future growth do listen to this episode. To find out more you can visit https://www.regroup-china.com/