The internationalization of Chinese home appliances is mostly forced

What is the overseas gold rush, broad prospects, and unlimited scenery? For all Chinese home appliance companies, whether it is international trade, overseas OEM, or even independent brand management, it is a forced move. In order to solve the problems and contradictions that companies have encountered in the development of the Chinese domestic market, they must find opportunities in the overseas market.

The annual IFA exhibition in Germany will open as scheduled. Compared with the CES exhibition held in the United States at the beginning of each year, the IFA exhibition in the second half of the year has a slightly smaller influence, but because it is named the International Consumer Electronics Show, it is the best platform for a large number of Chinese home appliance companies that are eager to expand overseas markets and open up overseas brands to showcase their black appliances, white appliances, kitchen appliances and even small appliances, and it is also a good opportunity for publicity.

However, for all Chinese home appliance companies, internationalization has never been a "high-end" thing. Although many Chinese people believe that "flowers bloom outside the wall and smell good inside the wall", they like to hype and spread the company's series of product launches and channel expansion in overseas markets by "exporting to domestic sales" in the Chinese market. They try to prove the strength of their own products and technologies, and have opened up new situations in overseas markets.

However, the truth about many Chinese companies in the overseas market is "terrible". Although many overseas hypermarkets and large chain stores have a series of home appliances made in China on their shelves, they have nothing to do with Chinese companies. They are all labeled with foreign brands. They are also sold at prices far higher than Chinese brands. A large number of home appliances made in China have not won the recognition and trust of overseas users. This is because the reputation of Made in China has not really been established.

In fact, whether it is the initial "releasing of excess capacity", exporting a large number of "high-quality and low-priced" home appliances made in China to various countries around the world, affixing the trademarks of local home appliance brands, achieving profits for foreign brands, and releasing excess capacity made in China; or today's "looking for new space", starting with mergers and acquisitions of old-brand home appliance companies in overseas markets, and integrating overseas companies' technology research and development, product design, and process quality resources, and combining them with the low-cost and high-supporting advantages of Chinese manufacturing, looking for new impetus from volume increase to profit increase in overseas markets.

In essence, the original intention of all Chinese companies in overseas markets has not changed, that is, they all hope to obtain new business opportunities and growth momentum in overseas markets. However, the complexity and variability of the overseas market, as well as the strength of foreign giants in overseas markets such as Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, far exceeded the expectations of Chinese companies. Therefore, there is no shortcut to conquering overseas markets. In addition to the investment of time, it also requires long-term investment in products, technology, talents, marketing, and expenses in the local market. You must never play the speculative game of "fishing for three days and drying the net for two days".

After more than 30 years of exploring overseas markets, Chinese home appliance companies have achieved phased success in internationalization. However, there are still many difficulties and challenges. At present, there are two things that worry Chinese home appliance companies the most: one is the changeable and turbulent political situation in relevant countries in the overseas market. Since the beginning of this year, the world has once again entered a changeable and turbulent cycle. In addition to countries and regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and India, even Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea have great variables. The result is not only the social situation, but also exchange rate fluctuations.

Second, in the past few decades, the impression of Chinese manufacturing in the overseas market has not been good, or even a bit bad, among which "shoddy workmanship" is heard everywhere. How to change this traditional impression and establish a new image represented by Chinese home appliance manufacturing? Home appliance manufacturing companies alone are obviously relatively weak, and they must also seek support at the national level. In particular, the support of the "Belt and Road" national strategy. Similarly, this requires not only time, but also better home appliance products and stable technical quality.

There is no doubt that the future growth momentum and growth space of China's home appliance industry lies mostly in overseas markets. However, the situation in overseas markets will not change and develop completely in accordance with the expectations of Chinese home appliance companies. Therefore, we must be mentally prepared for a long-term battle of hardship.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.