| Ever wondered if you could deal directly with | | | | you want to be able to go shopping or eat at a |
| manufacturers... in China?! It's easier than you think. | | | | restaurant. I have to say, the upside of this is that you |
| First Impressions: | | | | won't find yourself going over budget. But with the |
| I visited China in Autumn 2005 with a group of | | | | incredibly low Chinese retail prices, that probably |
| business associates and must admit that I was | | | | wouldn't happen anyway. |
| amazed, both by the warm reception we received | | | | Low Retail Prices: |
| wherever we went, and at the factories we toured. | | | | Once you've overcome the communication difficulties |
| Having never been there before, and having only news | | | | you'll be amazed to find the bargains you'll find in the |
| accounts of "difficulties" between China and the U.S. to | | | | small shops. For a start, it's an electronics paradise. |
| fuel my imagination, I assumed things would be overly | | | | Just make sure you do your homework on what will |
| formal and official at best... at worst, cold... and we | | | | and won't work back in the States. Of course it is |
| would be "watched" constantly. I was so wrong on | | | | easy to load yourself up with personal purchases, but |
| both counts. We were treated as welcome visitors | | | | the real value is getting even more ideas of attractive |
| and had only to ask the hotel staff for something to | | | | products to start selling back home. |
| have it almost magically produced. | | | | Factories in China: |
| Lost in Translation: | | | | Our visit to a manufacturing plant in Huizhou left us all . . |
| Outside of the hotels and manufacturing facilities, doing | | | | . well, 'impressed' hardly seems like a strong enough |
| business in the streets and in small shops was, at most | | | | word. The building, on the outside was sort of drab |
| times, terribly difficult. We had arranged our factory | | | | looking with banners hanging here and there but inside |
| visits and business meetings with our contacts in China, | | | | was quite a different story. First of all we were |
| and there were no problems on that side when it | | | | treated as if we were VIPs instead of mid-level |
| came to language. But once we stepped out on our | | | | managers from Kenosha. Most importantly, however, |
| own, we rarely found anyone - even in tourist gift | | | | the level of automation in this factory was remarkable, |
| shops - who could communicate in English at all. Next | | | | even by American standards and, when you look at |
| time I visit China, I'll hopefully be armed with a few | | | | the numbers, you see that the productivity is really |
| more basic Mandarin phrases, but for everyone visiting, | | | | impressive. It's no longer a mystery to this American |
| even just for leisure, I'd recommend hiring translators to | | | | why China is finding such a willing market in America. |
| assist you. | | | | Back Again: |
| Cash in China: | | | | I wish I had more than the seven days we were able |
| Another word of warning: business owners back | | | | to stay in China, but it won't be long before I'm back, |
| home in the States may be suitably impressed by your | | | | this time with a group of my friends who have been |
| Gold Card, but to the Chinese shopkeeper it's just a | | | | listening to me talking about the business opportunities |
| pretty piece of plastic that won't buy a cup of Chinese | | | | since I got back... and who now want to go out there |
| tea. Even in the large cities, you're going to have to | | | | to get a piece of the action for themselves. |
| carry around Chinese Yuan (aka Renminbi) in cash if | | | | |