CIIE focus group: How to buy foreign goods in a cost-effective way?

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04:46

With rising incomes and changing buying habits, Chinese consumers have a growing appetite for quality imported products and services.

With all the channels Chinese consumers have for buying foreign goods, some go to high-end supermarkets, some shop online, while others ask friends abroad to send them things.

I sit down with some special guests to talk about how to buy imported goods without breaking the bank.

The ways Chinese consumers buy imported goods have been changing. /CGTN photo

Abi Qian, a PR expert from HK, and Yin Jiang, an English teacher, said they buy a lot of imported goods online, while others like Nara, an MBA graduate in the UK, said many ask her friends abroad to buy things for them. These people are called professional buyers, or "daigou."

But nowadays, China has tightened customs regulations at the airport because bringing imported products back without paying tax is considered smuggling. Nara said it takes a long time to wait for goods to clear customs.

Mang Chinese consumers used to ask friends abroad to send them things. /CGTN photo

Many Chinese consumers are buying imported goods online, but there are still many pain points, such as varying delivery times and after-sales service.

From services to cosmetics, from cars to electronics, China has largely expanded its import categories. At the same time, consumers are becoming more professional and need faster, safer and more convenient access to these quality products.