Elite China: Luxury Consumer Behavior in China

Elite China: Luxury Consumer Behavior in China
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October 09, 2012
Introduction
Pierre Xiao Lu offers an in depth analysis of the deluxe consumption trends associated with the Chinese elite class through his volume Elite China: Luxury Consumer Behavior in China. His book is unique and stands out owing to his tacit and smart approach. The author has gone beyond the convectional superficial survey oriented findings and has anchored the massive volume on a meticulous examination of lavish consumption associated with the rich and elite class in the Chinese context. The richly informative book is founded on the multifarious Chinese culture and society. Consequently, his work comes out prominently as a masterpiece, not founded on biases or hearsay but etched on powerful insights reflecting the progressing dynamics of the Chinese vast market. He has a knack for illuminating into the versatile upper class elite who have a penchant for extravagance and veer towards consumption of lavish goods and brands.
Foremost, probes in adroit detail the luxurious consumption associated with the Chinese elite class. In the first chapter, he offers an interesting background on prominent consumption in Confucianism inclined countries like china (Pierre, 2008, p.18). He explores how class and expenditure interconnect and affect the consumption behaviors of the Chinese market. In the first chapter, he probes into the Confucianism-influenced market providing revolutionary evidence on how business people can amass profits by targeting the elite upper class who are willing to pay anything to remain within the status quo (Pierre, 2008). His findings draw heavily from historical and sociological data, offering key information on the best approach to utilize in order to tap into the virgin unexplored market. The information provided in the first chapter is essential for the entrepreneurs and business owners seeking to establish their presence in the diverse Chinese culture. Some of the key lesson he highlights in the first chapter are intended to help business owners to avoid gross mistakes associated with poor business planning and research when it comes to Chinese purchasing trends. The author offers guidelines on how to develop proper retailing and communication strategies for luxury products that relate to the positive undertone of opulence within the Chinese untamed upper class.
Additionally, the first chapter maps out the glorious historical days of the Chinese culture. The author links the past Chinese culture with the present by elaborating how culture has been sheltered over the ages to the present day. Through a critical eye, the author depicts the sophistication and affluence embraced by the elite class in the rather conservative culture. The Chinese luxury market is garnering prominence, and the author explores the lavish culture and the consumer behavior associated with the upper class. Lu's book is well timed and strategically written for the entrepreneurs and business people who would like to tap into the cosmic Chinese market. Through a critical research, intelligent argument and amusing humor the author has been able to map out strategically how the Chinese Upper class provides a massive opportunity for the future business prospects.
The writer has been able to come up with the concept of the budding upper-middle class and super rich Chinese class (Pierre, 2008, p.23). These two markets hold potentials for the prospect non-Chinese business people. In order to tap into these two markets as the author explicates, it is important to be well versed with the customers` preferences, taste, and their spending habits. By establishing their preferences, Lu dares the business people to venture into the untapped class of consumers who are not only willing to consume but also are willing to pay a lot for less as long as they maintain their class (Pierre, 2008, p.24).
In the second chapter titled the Confused Concept of "Luxury" in Today's China the author dauntlessly depicts the luxurious consumer behaviors in china. He scoffs at the appealing yet ambivalent consumer behaviors of the elite class towards the luxurious goods and the modern brands (p.32). The wealthy chapter documents practical recommendations on how business owners can tap into the fashion and brand driven vast market. Irrespective of the conservative nature of the Chinese culture, the author comes out overtly to expose the unending proclivity by the upper elite class towards branded and fashionable expensive goods. The author candidly explores the meaning of luxury in the Chinese context and its implication on the consumerism. In essence, the undertone ‘luxury` carries inauspicious connotation, which may not go down well with the old school Chinese culture. This in essence means that luxurious goods may be disregarded. Thus, the author offers recommendations on how the luxurious goods can pilfer into the market without being necessarily termed as luxurious (Pierre& Benard, 2011).
Lu focuses on the melting pot value systems embraced in the Chinese context in the 21st century. The elite class in China exemplifies a culturally rich populace with an increased propensity towards luxurious goods (Pierre, 2008). The author explores the concept of luxurious goods in relation to the Chinese culture and invites the readers to make a market visit through which they can uncover the Chinese blossoming luxury goods consumers. The author takes the reader trough various Chinese cities explaining the disparities and regional preferences. His book further explores the lifestyles of the target market and their preference for the luxurious goods.
At the heart of this book is an eye opening exploration of the Mainland China in the versatile 21st century, and the values being forged owing to the past Chinese culture. The ancient Chinese values are heavily entrenched in the social conduct of the Chinese people. Lu offers substantiated answers as to why China has become a jaunty socialist state economy as it is in the modern day. Through his volume (Pierre, 2008) Lu explores the cultural, social and economic histories of China shedding light onto the country`s various economic, social, cultural and psychological histories (Pierre, 2008, p.48).
Luxurious consumption is embedded in Chinese past culture and society. Excessive spending on luxurious goods is an ancient trend typically identified with the Chinese upper class. This aspect remains deeply rooted in the China`s social landscape and has consequently subjected other Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Korea and Japan (Pierre, 2008). The modern day Chinese historic market and auction houses offer vivid explanation of how Luxurious goods are consumed in the Chinese context. In the historical past, when China went through economic slump, assortment of Chinese antiquities were auctioned at Christie`s auction house and the value of the antiques was bloated owing to the increased demand for such ancient items. The antique collectors are generally Asian or Chinese; to the Chinese people buying an olden antique tantamount to buying a luxurious commodity because people are willing to buy the items at exorbitant prices due to the value and perception pegged on such antiques.
Unlike the other global markets, luxurious goods in the Chinese context include storied antiques; for the Chinese people to own an artifact at home is compared to having a masterpiece, grandeur fit to be displayed in a museum (Michel & Pierre, 2010). As China was being revolutionized in 1970`s, Chinese heritage became detestable as the populace were brainwashed to believe that the Chinese history was boring and was supposed to be abolished in favor of new equalizing philosophy. During this phase, there was a void in Chinese cultural perception, giving rise to the so-called "Lost generation", which was unhappy with its culture and was reluctant to assimilate new cultural trends and perceptions (Pierre, 2008). Currently, the lost generation comprises of the aging populace in its 50s, after atta...