Five characteristics of the American consumer goods market

The United States is one of the most open markets in the world, with an annual total of more than 1.1 trillion dollars in imports of goods. The United States is China's main trading partner, now produced every year by China into the United States products have more than 100 billion U.S. dollars, most of these products are consumer goods, but mostly through many links into the United States, many of China's factories are disconnected from the market, the international market is very short of the medium. China has entered the WTO and some Chinese production enterprises have gained the right to import and export, which makes it possible for Chinese enterprises to direct their products to the international market in the future. Factory direct sales, reduce intermediate links, can enable enterprises to obtain more profits, but also requires more enterprises in the international market, face the severe challenges of market competition.

Here are the five features of the U.S. consumer goods market:

(1) Large volume of U.S. market

The United States has the largest market capacity in the world, and the United States is the world's largest consumer market. The first is because Americans have a strong spending power, and Americans earn more than 30,000 dollars per capita. The second is that Americans have a strong sense of consumption, Americans are not only less saving, but also spending money, many people have credit cards, and even several. Third, Americans on the consumer goods update fast, many daily necessities are not more than a year, they are often not because of the old bad and buy new, but because "fresh", meet new fashion, or holiday merchandise discounts will cause their purchase will. Finally, because of the high cost of labor in the United States, the government mandated hourly wages of more than 5 U.S. dollars, and some regions and industries hourly wages of more than 10 U.S. dollars, so the U.S. labor-intensive production of consumer goods has shifted to other countries and regions. Therefore, the domestic consumer goods needed in the United States are mainly imported, and the import demand is quite large. such as the market on clothing, footwear, bags, gifts, small household electrical appliances, as well as furniture, bedding, lamps, stationery, tools, toys, kitchenware, tableware and so on, many are imported. And the trend is rising and unlikely to change. The economic indicators of the US economy may affect sales of high-end goods, but will not reduce the public's purchase of Chinese-made, inexpensive and practical consumer products.

(2) strong acceptance of the U.S. market

America is a nation of immigrants, and American society is a melting pot of nations. Most of the 280 million people in the United States are immigrants from different countries and regions, ethnic groups, or their descendants. They have different cultural traditions and customs, the diversity of American population structure determines the diversification of American consumer goods market. Immigrants in the United States, not only accustomed to the use of their own national and traditional goods, but also the world's other ethnic goods are very curious and fresh, so the United States mass consumers on the market for a variety of goods acceptance is very strong, very little rejection.

Second, because of the rich and poor in the United States, high school low-income groups constitute a different level of the consumer group and different levels of specific markets, and the scale is considerable, therefore, from all over the world high school low-grade products in the United States have a great demand. Third, Americans are more realistic, shopping consumption only pay attention to personal likes or convenience, not too much thinking about how others think, the community also very few people to talk about consumption. As a result, some of the higher earners often buy bargains at discount stores, or even stroll through 9 cents 9 shops or flea markets. It is worth mentioning now that, with the rise of middle income in the US, the middle-income class in the US has now become the mainstay of the consumer goods market and the main target of the business. Therefore, China's production of goods to pay attention to improve the grade, and strive for this consumer group, to obtain higher value-added goods.

(3) The United States market laws and regulations, industry associations around the market

The United States market economy is more mature, the government's business scope and mode of operation is very limited, but the import and export of products from all walks of life, as well as wholesale and retail have very detailed regulations and licensing requirements, and enforcement is very strict. Especially in trademarks, environmental protection, safety, taxation, labor. Therefore, in the United States engaged in business not only must learn, according to law, and the best to invite professionals to deal with, must not be self-righteous, apply in the Chinese mainland habits. Companies engaged in trade in the United States to engage lawyers as legal advisers, but also have the state of accountants to help deal with the company's tax, so as not to touch the law.

In addition, all walks of life in the United States have associations, the United States, the role of industry associations is quite large, can influence government decision-making and market. To protect the interests of the industry, they lobbied the government to formulate favourable policies, organize various seminars for the development of the industry, organize exhibitions, publish magazines and provide market information to members. Some of the industry laws in the United States are often proposed and drafted by these associations, such as anti-dumping bills for many products. Therefore, Chinese enterprises and products to enter the United States, not only to study the corresponding trade associations, but also should join these industry associations, to participate in the United States Industry Association is easy, pay dues can enjoy the corresponding rights and interests. The American Industry Association has a strong sense of service to its members. For some enterprises, to become a member of the industry association is within the circle of people, more easily recognized by customers, especially some of the well-known associations with a long history.

(4) The quality of the U.S. market, talk about the brand, with particular emphasis on product safety

The meaning of product quality in the U.S. market has expanded to a broad sense, not limited to general product use, technical specifications and specifications, they think these are products into the market should be annexed. They also incorporate the quality of product packaging, product use specifications, especially after-sales service quality into the quality implications. These are often the Chinese companies do not pay much attention to. Therefore, Chinese enterprises should have a deeper understanding of product quality requirements. In addition, according to the U.S. market practice, large U.S. retailers accept customer returns, as long as there is an invoice, both the packaging has been taken apart, the goods have been used, also can be returned, and do not have to make any explanation. Because the loss of return is not borne by the retailer, so the import wholesaler should be strict to the product quality. Of course, this will ensure that fake and shoddy products can not enter such a large shopping malls, the credibility of the shopping malls can naturally improve.

American consumers of the product brand recognition is very deep, because the brand is fully inclusive of their quality concept of the Richer, but also more accurate to express their own level of consumption, so they buy more brand products, but also willing to pay more money. However, brand products are not a certain high price, the U.S. product brand is often targeted at different consumer groups, generally by the brand can know its price, such as Macys (Lionel Messi) is a mid-range, Wal-Mart (Walmart) is relatively cheap and popular.

The United States market competition is very fierce, dealers also have to bear the responsibility for their goods, businesses will not pay attention to eat huge compensation lawsuit. Therefore, the quality requirements of the United States are very strict, a variety of product labels, packaging, instructions must be attached to the United States market requirements, to distinguish the responsibility to live. One of the most prominent is the safety standards, such as electronic products to be accompanied by the UL standard, lighters to prevent children to open fire, toy parts can not fall off by children mistakenly swallowed, all kinds of food imports of safety requirements more stringent, also do not allow some goods to be marked with medical functions.

(5) The United States market sales seasonal Strong

The U.S. consumer goods market demand for a variety of commodities has a strong seasonal, usually in spring (January-May), Summer (July-September) and holiday season (November-December). Every season has a seasonal sales climax, such as Thanksgiving (end of November) is the American winter holiday shopping season, especially Christmas, is the annual sales season for American goods, usually accounted for the annual sales of One-third. U.S. importer orders are organized according to their domestic sales season, so if they miss the sales season, these goods will be difficult to sell, which means that this year out of the United States market, and even the competitors for a long time excluded from the market. This is why some Chinese enterprises fail to deliver the goods by the date of the contract, and the reason why they will not be fined.

In addition, there are many festivals in the United States, such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day is a good opportunity for merchants to sell gifts. The United States as a major immigrant country, all nationalities have their own different traditional festivals, these traditional festivals have formed a large number of consumer markets, businessmen often find ways to use these traditional festivals to promote.

Article excerpted from: Foreign Trade Network Marketing network.