A glance at the glasses market in China

Nowadays, with the growing consciousness among Chinese consumers about the importance of regular eye checkups and proper eye protection, the eyewear market is rapidly developing over the year. Glasses in China are perceived as an accessory of fashion, which motivates consumers to buy multiple products from eyewear for more fashionable or better-quality options.

The glasses market in China

The glasses market is subdivided into many important areas: there are classical glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses. The retail sales of glasses in China increased by about 6% to RMB69.9 billion in 2016. Sales of sunglasses also showed the fastest growth about a 7% increase. China has one of the highest frequency cases of myopia in the world and its myopic population is expected to increase by 8% on average annually. With the rising disposable incomes, Chinese consumers are paying more attention to their health and the protection of their eyes. So they are very careful when they are choosing glasses because they preferred to buy glasses of higher quality. Consumers are attaching greater importance to the ornamental qualities than the practical functions of the spectacles they buy.

Sunglasses: the new trend

Influenced by the celebrities’ style and social media, there is a rise in the use of sunglasses as fashion accessories. This has contributed to a rise in demand for sunglasses, which is one of the fastest-growing categories in eyewear in 2017. Consequently, the sales of sunglasses increased by 7% last year. Chinese Eyewear Market is driving sales of spectacle frames, as luxury brands such as Jins, Ray-ban and Zoffs are providing fashionable sunglasses frames at affordable prices.

Tips to market your glasses in China

Increase your visibility with SEO on Baidu

SEO on Baidu is the key to the visibility of your business in China. Baidu is the most used search engine in China, it ranks 5th among the most visited sites in the world and currently has more than 800 million web pages. Baidu now offers a wide range of services, such as web searches, image searches, music, forums, or a Q&A service. SEO on Baidu requires several steps, which may be different from what needs to be done on Google. The notions of trust and notoriety remain essential for schools wishing to enter the Chinese market and be visible on Baidu. Key SEO strategies include keyword optimization, backlinks, and content sharing, this is the way to generate quality traffic. Compared with SEA, SEO takes more time, but it is long-term solution in terms of developing a better e-reputation and is ultimately more stable. The quality search result won’t disappear after you stop the campaign, on the contrary, you will remain higher in the rankings and continue to drive traffic.

A Chinese website

A website in Chinese is necessary to enter a market and realize branding. This is an efficient solution to increase the popularity of your products, influence consumers with content and design, and develop the image of your company in the country. Moreover, having a website written in mandarin is essential. Chinese consumers spend more than 40% of their daily life on the Internet and these internet users trust more Chinese websites than English websites.

Social networks

China is the world’s largest connected country: more than 90% of Chinese people have an account on at least one Chinese social network. Wechat is the social media the most used in China and, regardless of the size of your company, it is an essential medium to develop your marketing strategy in the country. By promoting your products on social media, you can build a community surrounding your company, reach your target, get feedback and create a friendlier company image. Sina Weibo, China’s largest SNS so far, has got a nearly 88% penetration rate among the nation’s excess 358 million users. It has also attracted over 130,000 companies including one-third top 500 enterprises in the world. They don’t just join Weibo on impulse, but for the benefit, of Weibo can bring them. Some come to Weibo for brand awareness, some for brand image, and others for closer relationships with customers.

Video advertisement

The ratio of smartphone users in China has increased tremendously. Last year, digital ad spending in China reached $40.42 bn, a 30% increase from the previous year’s spending. Ad spending in China is expected to reach over $80 bn by 2020. The numbers speak for themselves, this is a lucrative arena in terms of spending and return on investment. Chinese people like to watch videos on smartphones and you can develop unique ideas to spread your

brand awareness campaigns through effective video messages. Advertising in China is, however, a very unique ecosystem that requires a different approach, understanding, and mindset. When it comes to ad spending you have to understand not only the most popular platforms in terms of user number but also, and most importantly, the infrastructure each platform has for advertising services.

Key opinion leader(KOL)

KOL’S (Key Opinion Leaders) are social media influencers who have anywhere between a thousand and hundreds of thousands of followers on Chinese digital platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, QQ, or video platforms such as Youku or Meipai. You can recruit these Key Opinion Leaders to represent your company, brand, product, or service in China through paid posts. This is a very powerful tool for international companies new to the Chinese market, allowing you to tap into large active communities that are strongly influenced by a KOL’s opinion.

Chinese E-commerce platforms

The development of new technologies and the increased use of smartphones and tablets allowed an explosive growth of e-commerce in China. One of the best Chinese e-commerce platforms is Tmall which is part of the Alibaba group led by Jack Ma. This is definitely the largest B2C platform in China, it offers a wide selection of affordable products and decent logistics and attracts value-conscious shoppers. Contrary to its competitor Taobao, the company has made arrangements to ensure that products sold on Tmall are authentic. Known as the “Amazon of China”, JD.com is also one of the main B2C e-commerce platforms and is Tmall’s biggest rival. Consequently, using e-commerce platforms to develop your business is a must to efficiently enter the Chinese market.

Need some help to break through china’s market? GMA is specialized in digital marketing in China. We have developed a lot of successful projects because we understand the Chinese market and know how to promote effectively your business using the latest digital tools. Do not hesitate to leave a comment below or contact us for more information

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• How Small Brands Can Enter to the Huge Chinese Fashion Market?

• Top retailers of Fashion & Apparel Brands in China