By some reports, young Chinese tend to embrace all things
"Western" -- from clothing to consumerism. But how much do we know
about the behavior of young Chinese consumers in the ever-changing
high-tech world? The Gallup Poll of China provides some insight
into the virtual lives of urban Chinese in the 18- to 24-year-old
age group -- China's "Generation Y."
The Digital Divide
Chinese 18- to 24-year-olds -- especially the highly influential
market segment of urban 18- to 24-year-olds -- have far
greater access and exposure to computers than Chinese aged 25 and
older. While 44% of urban Chinese aged 25 and older say they have
computer access, almost double that number of urban Gen Y Chinese
(87%) have access to computers. The gulf only widens when looking
at likelihood to have ever used a computer, with 88% of
urban Gen Y respondents having used computers, versus 37% of urban
Chinese aged 25 and older.
Internet Habits
Not surprisingly, urban Gen Y Chinese are also significantly
more likely to be Internet savvy than those 25 and older. While
nearly three-fourths of urban China's 18- to 24-year-olds have used
the Internet, only about one-fourth of city dwellers in the 25+ age
group have ever been on the Internet.
By far the most widespread reason Gen Y urbanites give for using
the Internet is communication and information exchange -- whether
it is online chat, e-mail, or downloading files. Nearly 8 in 10
Internet users in this category take part in some form of online
chat. Those 25 and older, on the other hand, are more likely to use
the Internet for obtaining information, such as checking the news,
finding general information about sports or the weather, or seeking
reference information.
Personal Computers: The Marketing Challenge
Marketers of personal computers will be pleased to hear they
have a considerable opportunity with urban 18- to 24-year-olds --
nearly three in every four Chinese in this age category are
interested in purchasing a computer. At least 44% of this segment
plans to buy a personal computer at some point in the next two
years. Among urban Chinese 25 and older, 46% are interested in
purchasing a computer, and 21% have plans to buy.
When it comes to companies that manufacture computers, Lenovo
and Toshiba have the highest levels of brand recognition for urban
Gen Y Chinese, while IBM and Dell have the poorest recall (Samsung
also has high brand recognition in China, but thus far has focused
on other products there). But the real marketing challenge for all
computer manufacturers is product differentiation -- the
overwhelming majority of urban Gen Y prospects (61%) don't discern
any tangible difference at all among competing brands.
