美国的中等品牌在中国翻身晋级

例如Gap的牛仔裤一般售价在50到200美元之间。时间久了以后，女性消费者告诉我们，她们更愿意以更低的价格买其他品牌的牛仔裤，比如日本的优衣库。或者是省下来钱买更高档的品牌比如阿玛尼。一位27岁的上海女性，月收入达到300美元，他告诉我说，为了省钱买一件阿玛尼的牛仔外套，她已经连续5个月没有吃午饭了。对于他来说，阿玛尼所代表的地位比Gap的众多种类所提供的要高得多。

星巴克这个品牌很清楚中国人舍得把钱花在高档产品上，因此也相应的调整了星巴克在中国的价格以及市场策略。星巴克的CFO Troy Alstesd称，星巴克在中国的分店利润比在美国要高出很多。在亚洲，星巴克2011年的营业毛利润大概有34.6%，而在美国只有21.8%。

未来某个时间点，可能是未来的10年，中国不再继续这种高增长的趋势，中国的中产阶层可能才会在消费欲望和经济潜力上真正达到中产水平。到那时，各品牌才能够强调它的中产概念。在这之前，中国的消费者将和印度还有韩国的消费者一样，会把钱花在奢侈品上，但是对其他支出则是非常谨慎。

Consider the Gap, which sells jeans for between $50 and $200. Time after time, female consumers told us they would prefer to buy jeans from brands like Japanese retailer Uniqlo (9983:JP) at a fraction of the cost or save up to buy premium and luxury brands such as Armani jeans. One 27-year-old Shanghai woman making $300 a month told me she skipped lunch for five months to save enough to buy an Armani jean jacket. For her, the status associated with Armani proffered better value than multiple pieces from Gap.

Starbucks is one brand that understands that the Chinese will spend a lot for premium products and has adjusted its pricing and marketing strategy accordingly. The coffee retailer’s outlets are more profitable in China than in the U.S., according to Troy Alstead, its chief financial officer. In Asia, the company’s operating margins were 34.6 percent in 2011, vs. 21.8 percent in the United States.

At some point—perhaps 10 years from now, as it becomes impossible for China to sustain fast-paced growth—China’s middle class will truly be middle class in aspirations and economic potential. Brands will be able to emphasize a middling heritage. Until then, however, China’s buyers offer far greater similarities to Indian and Russian consumers, who spend on luxury for some products but are price sensitive on others.