Source: Prosper Business Development

BIGresearch: Chinese Consumer Confidence Is High and So Is Planned Purchases

Chinese Consumers Love the Internet But Haven't Abandoned Traditional Media

COLUMBUS, OH -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 4, 2007 -- What's keeping the GDP of China growing at double digit rate? Answer: the consumer is playing a starring role in the growth of the Chinese economy, according to BIGresearch's latest edition of their China Quarterly Survey (Q1 2007). The survey was the 6th edition and was conducted in March to monitor the consumption behaviors for products and media of the Chinese consumers between 18 and 34 years old. This valuable segment of the China market represents an estimated population of 380 million, with 191 being men. The consumers in this age group are large consumers of luxury brands and other key consumables that multi-national marketers want to convert as customers.

Some of the key findings of the survey are: 

--  Grocery market battles heat up as indigenous grocer Hualian slips past
    Carrefour and Wal-Mart to the #1 position
    
--  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.
    
--  "I want my Internet," as 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.
    for Electronics, Clothing, Autos and Pharmaceuticals
In addition to identifying recent trends, the survey names the top media for influencing purchases for Chinese consumers. For example, when compared to U.S. consumers, Word of Mouth ranks as the number one influence for electronics purchases for men ages 18-34 at 52.6% in the U.S. However, only 38.6% of Chinese men ages 18-34 say the same.

"Understanding how the Chinese consumers want to be communicated with and knowing which media have the greatest influence on purchases can be a stumbling block for multi-national marketers who try to import media plans from their home markets to China," said Joe Pilotta, VP of Research for BIGresearch. 

Top 5 Media Influences for Electronics (Men Ages 18-34)
-------------------------------------------------------
China:                          United States:
Read article on product         Word of Mouth
TV/Broadcast                    Magazines
Internet Advertising            Read article on product
Magazines                       TV/Broadcast
Word of Mouth                   Internet Advertising
"As we have found within the U.S., the product drives the influence particular media have on purchases. In China, as in the United States, advertisers need to understand how their consumer base prefers to receive their messages and adjust their allocations accordingly," said Pilotta.

BIGresearch's syndicated China Quarterly is a product to help retailers, CPG, telecommunications and other companies moving into China gain unique insights into Chinese consumers and track their behavior, primarily among 18 to 34 year olds. The China Quarterly is based on quarterly online surveys that track purchase behaviors, brand preferences, purchase intentions, product usage, health topics and future spending in key product categories, as well as media consumption, simultaneous media usage and media influence on purchases.

Additional information on BIGresearch's China Quarterly may be accessed at www.bigresearch.com/chinaq.htm.

To comment on this release visit the BIGresearch blog: http://whencustomerstalk.blogspot.com.

About BIGresearch

BIGresearch is a market intelligence firm providing unique consumer insights through online surveys. The syndicated China Quarterly monitors the purchasing behavior and media consumption of more than 1,400 young adult Chinese consumers between 18-34 years old. The China Quarterly is available through BIGresearch in report or database format.

BIGresearch's methodology provides the most accurate consumer information in the industry with a margin of error of +/- 1 percent. Complimentary findings are available at www.bigresearch.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Phil Rist BIGresearch 450 West Wilson Bridge Road Suite 370 Worthington, Ohio 43085 (614) 846-0146 Email Contact