The San Francisco international airport is one of my favorite airport. Lay it has
fine carpet, art display delicate, and duty free in various impressive luxuries. For
me, the biggest advantage of global flight, it is able to enjoying the airport duty
-free shop. I always buy some perfume or
juicy couture
jewelry.
I traveled to China in a journey, over the security check, I walked into my in the
hall at the airport saw first duty free juicy couture. Have a juicy couture watches
immediately caught me. It is fashionable, chic, also is very suitable for me. The
price is right: $120. Just one problem: I just bought a pair of I quite like the
juicy couture tracksuits. Of course I don't need two vice expensive tracksuits,
isn't it?
As I struggled isn't buy this
juicy watches, I overheard a few women are
going to my native Chinese conversation. I turned and saw two is trying on shoes
Chinese middle-aged women. They didn't look like upper class or fashionable
personage. However, I noticed that they all broke the LV bags. Flank a teenage boy
seemed tired of their shopping, he was sitting on a stool stretched his revealed a
pair of gucci shoes. This is I see the coolest a pair of sports shoes have above red
green stripes and gucci peculiar pattern. Think of all know this pair of shoes have
much expensive!
Before I became interested in them, I heard one of the women asked her friends:
"look good on me?" She leaned her head slightly swollen feet appreciating the
leather shoes.
"Very nice, very beautiful." Her friends nodded approvingly.
"This pair of how much?" The woman ask the salesman. Airport almost all the
assistant duty luxury goods is Asian, will speak mandarin, it almost won't be wrong.
"465 dollars." Salesman looked at the sign said.
The woman turned to ask their friends: "I want to buy?"
"Buy, buy it." Her friend encouraged her to say.
So she bought. She without the slightest hesitation in bought this pair of shoes,
$424 is like buying ice cream. I have to admit, I also like shoes, the home of shoes
much wear not over. Live in the U.S. such a consumer culture countries, to fight the
temptation is quite difficult. However, I have not a pair of shoes will catch the
price.
The two women and boys left, I talked with salesman learned that she is from Taiwan.
"The Chinese are rich," she says, "yesterday I sold a us $1,200 bag for a Chinese
woman. She is bought for her daughter, her daughter here. She wanted the university
returned home after neighbors daughter before cracking in cracking to see who has
just come back from the us."
"This is not crazy?" I said. "Most americans can't afford $1,200 bag."
"Well, it's like 30 years ago Taiwanese." She seemed a bit not surprised. "Taiwanese
people so it is rich, after some luxury to show off."
According to merrill lynch says, in 2006, the Chinese millionaires number more than
300 million, they mastered the assets of $3,500. From 2005 to 2009, the average
income between city more increased 21%. However, the specific income data more
difficult to estimate. Many state-owned enterprise issued large bonus was not
reported. Some companies even pay let the staff overseas tourism. Credit suisse of a
recent report shows that Chinese family fails to official declare income up to $1.4
trillion.
As I wanted to leave, the assistant store opened flowers smiling at me, "by the way,
that pair of you still have interest? You wear it is really very good."
Suddenly, the deputy $150 sunglasses become less expensive. So I said, "ok, I'll
take it."
I get on the plane and in the economy class go find own seat heats. As a senior
member of American airlines, I always buy near the aisle seat so legs extend space
bigger. When I put on iPod headphones browsing magazine, the bought gucci shoes of
women coming this way, holding a lot of duty plastic bag. The boy followed her.
They sit in my back before the woman at least from the bag out ten several luxury
boxes, such as gucci, Fendi (achieve miraculous Fendi repeatedly), fan saizhe ()
etc, tried to Versace surrounds them in their luggage to jam. If I could afford $475
shoes, my heart thought, I go to travel first class. I'm naturally and she spoke up.
It turns out she's a government in Beijing judicial organ work. She and his son
signed up for a tour in the past 12 days, eight cities visited America. His son
playing games sitting position.
"You in China's condition must be very nice," I said, "see you bought so many duty
free!"
"All is for my friend buy," she said, "they are before departure in my shopping list
for me."
"I understand," I smile, trying to make sounds friendly, "many americans can't
afford you the shop in gucci shoes."?
"Oh," she carefully look at me, "over the past years, our wages have risen three
times."
This may be a extreme example. However, with the improvement of China's urban
income, many people now can afford the past can't afford to buy goods and services.
Americans consume all the way, and that is deeply in debt Chinese actually just
opened his wallet. News have focused on China's relatively weak consumption ability.
However, China's consumption trend is remarkably enhanced. In recent years, retail
spending has steadily risen 15%. Even in 2008 to 2009 global recession, China
consumer confidence is still rising despite because global demand, there are
hundreds of factories closed failed. China has become the world's largest auto,
television and mobile phone market, is the world's second largest luxury market.
This trend will continue. Over the next 20 years, China's middle class will start in
China's economy to play a more important role. Studies have forecast, Chinese middle
class will be in 15 years will grow to 6 million to 8 million, its huge purchasing
power cans be imagined. The 2011 credit suisse report predicts that China's consumer
market in 2020 will reach 16 trillion dollars, overtake America as the world's
largest consumer market.
With this process, Chinese middle class will change we are living in a world power.
The world will no longer be "China production, American consumption". China's middle
class to the Chinese market for goods and services are sold for a western businesses
create unlimited opportunities. This process will contribute to global trade better
balance.
