China’s Pilot Cross-border E-commerce Import and Export Exceeds 3 Billion Yuan

China's General Administration of Customs released on the 26th, until the end of 2014, China's import and export volume of cross-border e-commerce pilot has exceeded 3 billion yuan.

Cross-border e-commerce, booming in recent years, has become an important force in promoting foreign trade growth. To support this new format development, the General Administration of Customs continues to reform the clearance regulatory model, made cities with ripe conditions pilot from 2012 and established a new type of regulatory model of cross-border trade e-commerce.

Statistics show that in exports, from July 2013 to the end of December 2014, 16 pilot cities, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Suzhou, Qingdao, Jinhua, Dongguan, Xi'an, Nanjing, Huludao, Yinchuan carried out cross-border e-commerce export business for about 2.04 billion yuan, covering 181 countries and regions. At the same period, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen has launched a cross-border e-commerce import business, clearing from customs 4,11 million parcels, worth about 1.01 billion yuan.

It is known that that in 2014 the general administration of customs developed a unified version management system of the cross-border e-commerce export clearance, which launched in Dongguan on July 1. This system relies on electronic port platform, and completes efficient networking docking with e-commerce enterprises, logistics, payment companies, thus making export tax rebates and exchange settlement convenient for e-commerce business enterprise, improving customs clearance efficiency and reducing business costs.

The general administration of customs spokesman Zhang Guangzhi said, the cross-border e-commerce export clearance unified version system is being actively promoted. At present, Customs of Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shenyang, Xi'an, Yinchuan has completed the deployment of a unified version system, and carried out related export business. Meanwhile, the networking docking between e-commerce enterprise and this system is also being accelerated, DinoDirect, IZP, Oasis, and other more than 50 companies have completed the networking docking and data exchange with electronic port data center. (www.chinainout.com)

Why China's Middle Class Flocks to Japan to Buy Toilet Lid

After traveling to Japan, he brought a rice cooker and came back, it is popular for long time, and a few years ago in Tokyo's Akihabara, there are always Chinese tourists carrying rice cooker. In this regard, I was quite confused, "Japan's rice cooker is really that magical?" Just a month ago, I went to Guangdong Midea, gave a lecture and by the way visit the products shop of Midea, the largest manufacturer of rice cookers in China, I would like to ask the engineer Zhang accompanied this question.

Zhang hesitated for three seconds, then told me honestly, Japanese rice cooker liner material had a great innovation, the boiled rice with this cooker was really good, capsules crystal, and would not sticky, "Sometimes when we go to Japan, leaders will let us carry one or two back. "

This scene does not just happen in the rice cooker -

Many people buy a hairdryer, reportedly with a nano-water plasma technology, girls blows hair to test on the spot, "it’s true, the hair blowing feels fluffy and smooth";

Many people buy a ceramic kitchen knife, its abrasion resistance is 60 times the normal steel, "it’s very easy and convenient to cut meat and vegetable, I only exert strength less than half the previous";

Many people buy an electric toothbrush, with LED ultrasonic technology, weight less than half of the Germany's Brown, bristles more supple, suitable for Asian oral use ......

Most surprisingly, three people buy five toilet lid in Japan.

The toilet lid is not cheap, priced at 2000 yuan around, it has antibacterial, washable and instant heating seat and other functions, it can be installed on all styles of toilet, salesperson in duty-free shops in Japan said in obscure Chinese, "As long as there are groups of Chinese tourists coming, the products can be sold out every day."

Those shopping in Okinawa duty-free shops are the young Chinese middle class, the backbone of rational consumption, difficult to be fooled, not easy to be impressed by advertising, they certainly like cheap merchandise, but they also prefer good performance, and are willing to pay for the new technologies and experience. (www.chinainout.com)

Davos Forum: Optimistic About Future of Digital Economy

On January 23, entitled "Digital Economy Future", Davos Forum was successfully held in Davos. Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, Google chairman Eric Schmidt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Vodafone chief executive officer Vittorio Colao and other guests participated and and made a speech. The Forum was hosted by the World Economic Forum chairmen Klaus Schwab.

Twenty years ago, the Berlin Wall fell, the World Wide Web was born, and globalization started. Today, although the geopolitical challenges continue, but in the digital age, production and economics become more efficient. Attendees agreed that the digital economy development in the future would be optimistic.

Facebook chief operating officer Cheryl Sundberg said that at present only 40% of people worldwide are connected, we needed to expand this quantity, so that more people would be connected and make their voices heard. This would undoubtedly increase the economic opportunities. And now the inequality of the world changes, technology enables more women to be educated.

Vodafone chief executive officer Vittorio Colao believed that it was just the beginning of globalization. People would release the productivity through all connections, and the world would be more equal. But he also warned that the good the bad guys are using the Internet. It is imminent to avoid the side effects of the Internet. He pointed out that people had to release completely transparent reporting in a transparent way, telling the customer what we are doing, what we are authorized to do.

Google chairman Eric Schmidt said, "All problems can be solved by broadband." He believes that machine intelligence let us smarter, has a positive impact on everyone, such as helping people treat diseases, improving energy efficiency, "smart phones are smarter than our previous supercomputer."

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella believed that science and technology can make a lot of good things. It matters how to balance the role of science and technology among the individual, society and government. The answer to this question lies in the global consensus. It’s necessary to ensure interest fair distribution between the government and individual. People need to accept the government uses to protect the privacy of data security, while the government also needs to know the bottom line and respect the individual. The Internet is the common wealth of the world.

The World Economic Forum (Winter Davos Forum) will be held in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21 -24, 2015, and the theme of this year is the new global situation. (www.chinainout.com)

2015 China International Wine and Import Food Fair Held in June in Beijing

China International import Food Fair (IF China), is China's first professional imported food exhibition jointly organized by the Chinese Food Culture Association and the North Star International Exhibition Co. 400 companies around the world attended the IF China in 2014, exhibition area was nearly 20,000 square meters and the exhibition activity area nearly 3000 square meters, a total of more than 30,000 people attended the show. As China's top food import professional trade event - The 5th China International import Food Fair (IF China) will be held at Beijing International Convention Center (Bird's Nest) on 12-14 June 2015!

Reporters learned from the IF China Organizing Committee, the current size of the exhibition has been greatly improved. With an annual exhibition held, visibility and brand influence enhancement, China's huge market and rising spending power, the exhibition will attract more import food and wine business into the Chinese market, bringing distinctive international cuisine to the booming China imported food market. 2015 IF China scale will be larger. Up to now, there have been 200 exhibitors. IF China over the same period will held the domestic high-quality imported wines and spirits exhibition (Wine China). It is expected that a total of 650 exhibitors over 30 countries will attend the show. Food, wine brands from all around the world will gather in Beijing and attend IF China and Wine China.

IF China organizing committee director Chen Peng said that with Chinese market’s rising demand for imported food and wine, exhibitors hoped that their products will be extended to domestic consumers, and could have access to the booming Chinese imports of food and wine market early. Most regular customers have already booked booths, among them, national pavilion from France, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Thailand, Poland, Malaysia and other countries, said they would continue to cooperate, many well-known international brands will establish Chinese market channels through IF China, the organizers will invite more high-end professionals, buyers and agents to attend the show.

Last year, China's imported conventional food sales amounted to 63 billion yuan. In recent years, China's total demand for food imports increased at the rate of average 20% annually. According to statistics, China will become the world's largest consumer of imported food in 2018, then food imports size in China market will reach 480 billion yuan. Thus, the global food and wine export companies are bullish about the huge Chinese market. It’s said that the golden years of the next decade is the golden years of China imported food rapid development. Meanwhile, as the time flies, market participants will increase, there must be opportunities and challenges for foreign food into the Chinese market. (www.chinainout.com)

China's Auto Industry Bullish in Economic Downturn

In 2014, China's auto market became the eye-catching highlight in terms of boosting the weak macroeconomic. Recently China Association of Automobile Manufacturers released data, in 2014 China car sales volume is 23,491,900, an increase of 6.9 percent for six consecutive years, ranking first in the world.

In 2014, the traditional automotive industry flourished, despite the Chinese government introduced a number of intensive car-related policies and measures, such as the policy supporting for development of new energy vehicles, the special activities to implement the provisions of the Auto three guarantee, anti-monopoly investigation, car sales management approach revisions and so on.

In recent years, China's auto consumption market has developed dramatically, winning the title of world's largest auto market for several years. In just a dozen years, China's car ownership increased by more than thirty times. If 2000 is regarded as the first year of a private car into Chinese households, it takes just 14 years that luxury car turns consumer goods in China.

Insiders pointed out that China regarded the auto market as a driving "carriage" to boost economy when China faced 2008 international financial crisis. China introduced many policies such as tax cuts, to stimulate demand for cars and economic growth. In the process of urbanization, the automobile production and consumption, is also expected to play an important role.

For 2015 market conditions, the Automobile Association expects annual car sales volume will be 25,130,000, the growth rate 7%, of which only 1% will appear in the car market, SUV's sales growth decreases to 25% from 36%, the Association believes that the rigid car consumer demand still exists, but purchase restriction measures will affect the development of the automotive consumer market.

Xu Changming said that China's auto market would maintain rapid growth from the perspective of the long term development law, and the future growth might be 8% -10%. (www.chinainout.com)

US media: seven impetus of China’s economy growth in 2015

Economists and analysts currently focus on seven areas with regard to the factors that can promote economic restructuring policy reforms. This year these areas are likely to boost the world's second largest economy.
Active domestic demand. Stephen Roach, former chief economist from Morgan Stanley said, in 2015, China could inhibit the adverse effects arising from the economic slowdown, not causing a terrible hard landing, because domestic demand would be active in an unprecedented way.."
Homeopathic oil price trend. Former vice chairman of Goldman Sachs Asia Kenneth Curtis believed that oil and other commodity prices slump made China a "big winner". China could procure oil, coal and gas at a lower price and increase strategic energy reserves easily.
Energy market changes. Derek Scissors, a scholar at American Enterprise Institute said the oil price trend also provided a "great opportunity" in the process of energy market reform. China might take measures to reduce or eliminate subsidies and improve the efficiency of the energy industry.
Census register reform. Luis Kuijs, Chief China economist at Royal Bank of Scotland, said that welfare reform and the liberalization of small towns census registration system could help reduce precautionary savings and stimulate consumption.
Privatization wave. Deutsche Bank said the local government sought to remove the assets, which could set off a privatization. Zhang Zhiwei and Audrey, Hong Kong-based economists of the bank said, this should help boost productivity and improve growth prospects."
Advantageously external environment. Goldman Sachs said that China wanted to introduce market-oriented reforms, in 2015 there would be a more favorable environment in 2015, because the recovery of extensively developed economies would promote exports. (www.chinainout.com)

How Companies Should Build Brand Image by App

In the past, companies sought to please old customers and entice new ones by offering small holiday gifts. They gave away refrigerator magnets, calendars, and Christmas ornaments emblazoned with the company logo.

But in today’s geo-encoded, app-enabled world, sophisticated companies are trying something new to build trust and relationships with customers. We call them ‘benevolent apps.’ Unlike some apps that are designed to generate sales and promote special deals, benevolent apps are created to offer useful information or otherwise help with decision-making. The idea is not simply to sell products or services, but instead to build trust and relationships that eventually will lead to economic success.

One good example comes from Sea Tow Service International, a company located in Southold, New York. Sea Tow offers emergency towing and rescue services for boaters in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe. The free Sea Tow app supports boaters’ navigation needs by offering information about local tide tables, detailed marine weather forecasts, GPS coordinates and bearing and speed.

A traditional marketer might argue that to the extent that Sea Tow furnishes information that can reduce accidents (thereby reducing Sea Tow calls), it is undercutting its own business. A boater, however, might be favorably disposed toward calling Sea Tow instead of its competitor, Tow Boat US, if faced with an emergency.

To further study this concept, we worked with two companies—Liberty Mutual and Suruga Bank—to create two benevolent apps and then test the results.

The Liberty Mutual app was aimed at people who were in the process of moving. The app included a digital “safe,” wher they could record with text and photos their valuable-items and an inventory tool wher they could record the contents of their boxes.

Although Liberty Mutual offers auto, homeowners and personal property insurance, it does not offer moving insurance. So why did the company find the idea of creating an app to help people move appealing? Their goal was to build trust through benevolence and to improve brand image, consideration and purchase intent. On the final screen of the app, users could contact Liberty Mutual for more information on the products they offer including home, life and accident insurance. So although the app was benevolent, it had a mechanism for capturing goodwill by linking users to the company’s agents.

The app was tested in 2010 in a comprehensive market research study of 750 consumers. Overall, respondents viewed the Liberty Mutual moving app as meaningful, believable and relevant. The favorable user experience led to positive attitude changes toward Liberty Mutual, which considers responsibility and trust to be among its key brand attributes. The company saw a significant increase in its trust rating, believability and confidence attributes.

The second app we created was for Suruga Bank, a bank based in Shizuoka, Japan. Called, Dream Mover, it helped Japanese consumers choose new homes to purchase or rent and assisted them in understanding the financial implications of different decisions. based on the user’s location and budget criteria, the app presented a set of home choices with details such as size, layout and proximity to public transportation. In addition to helping users screen potential places to live, the app acted as a budget-planning advisor, providing information on personal loans and mortgages as well as providing targeted advice.

To assess the impact of Dream Mover, we surveyed 1,500 randomly seleced respondents and found that among those who used the app, there was a measured increase in awareness, trust and positive consideration of Suruga Bank. Specifically, the bank’s ratings were significantly improved for characteristics such as being “open, honest and transparent” and offering “believable advice or information and a brand you can trust.”

Our two studies show that benevolent mobile apps can positively impact a company’s brand perception, consideration and preference and therefore improve the bottom line. People using the Liberty Mutual app became significantly more inclined to prefer Liberty Mutual and switch to it for insurance versus competitors. Additionally, the brand attributes related to trust increased. In the Suruga Bank study, consideration of Suruga also rose significantly. As with the Liberty Mutual study, brand attributes related to trust rose significantly.

These are powerful forces that can lead to increased revenue from consumers who perceive that the brand has their interests in mind. (www.chinainout.com)