America sells brands. China sells for consumers.

[DrBeer]

Before I proceed, I want to point out that American products are not bad. I am just airing a view I noticed based on what I have been hearing online.

Alright, since that has been cleared, let's move on.

America has some of the world's biggest brands, such as Apple, Nike, Starbucks and McDonald's. Many people love their products, including me. But I have noticed a growing trend. It seems America is becoming better at selling brands than selling products that meet the everyday needs of consumers. They are selling a dream. Like only a certain class of people can use this product. If you can't afford it, then maybe you are not in that class. It's more like selling emotions and lifestyle.

China, on the other hand, seems to sell products for consumers. Take Starbucks for instance. When it first entered China, everyone wanted one. They were promoting the brand and lifestyle. Then a Chinese coffee company, Luckin, saw how expensive Starbucks was and decided to do something different. They sold cheaper coffee, made ordering easier, and even delivered it to wherever you were. Instead of selling status, they focused on convenience and affordability.

It's not only coffee. iPhones are not left out too. Many people now argue that Huawei is bringing more innovation in phone designs. Tesla is not left out either. BYD is producing electric cars that many people see as good value for the price.

I am not saying American companies can't do these things. They obviously can. I just feel they focus more on selling lifestyle, while many Chinese companies focus more on meeting the needs of consumers first. Maybe that's why Chinese products are becoming more attractive to many people around the world.

Am I seeing this wrongly?

Do you think America is selling brands while China is selling for consumers, or do you think both countries are doing the same thing in different ways?

I would clarify that the U.S. produces TECHNOLOGIES that then make it possible to manufacture high-quality goods or goods with the necessary specifications. It was precisely the transfer of these technologies to China in the second half of the 1970s and 1980s that enabled China to become what it is today.
China makes its money through mass production and exports.

[Taricoins]

Consumers choose to buy goods and services they need, not brands. Perhaps coincidentally, certain American-made brands have endured because they maintain their quality and perhaps quantity.

I need coffee and want to buy it. If the coffee I buy at one store doesn't satisfy my taste, I might look for another store, even if it's a little more expensive.
Vehicles, like clothing, are the same. For me, everything depends on need and convenience. Products from China may be cheaper, but if the quality is low, I'll have to spend more money. It's better to buy expensive items with good quality. Buy once for the long term.

I don't think you get the context to which this post was made, I understand your point in consumer wanting quality and quantity but in America, it's different, I don't think research is being made to improve the quality and reduce the price for consumer maximum satisfaction but American spend alot of time marketing there brands, it works for consumers because of there social needs but not there financial needs.

That's why we see lots of devices that can work and meet our day to day needs with way lesser price and better features but we still go for higher priced devices because it is from THE brand like for instance, the Apple Phones.

That's the benefit of being in China, because quality goods are being manufactured for lesser prices. We often feel the more hyped brand has more quality and end up breaking banks for it.

[Synchronice]

Before I proceed, I want to point out that American products are not bad. I am just airing a view I noticed based on what I have been hearing online.

Alright, since that has been cleared, let's move on.

America has some of the world's biggest brands, such as Apple, Nike, Starbucks and McDonald's. Many people love their products, including me. But I have noticed a growing trend. It seems America is becoming better at selling brands than selling products that meet the everyday needs of consumers. They are selling a dream. Like only a certain class of people can use this product. If you can't afford it, then maybe you are not in that class. It's more like selling emotions and lifestyle.

China, on the other hand, seems to sell products for consumers. Take Starbucks for instance. When it first entered China, everyone wanted one. They were promoting the brand and lifestyle. Then a Chinese coffee company, Luckin, saw how expensive Starbucks was and decided to do something different. They sold cheaper coffee, made ordering easier, and even delivered it to wherever you were. Instead of selling status, they focused on convenience and affordability.

It's not only coffee. iPhones are not left out too. Many people now argue that Huawei is bringing more innovation in phone designs. Tesla is not left out either. BYD is producing electric cars that many people see as good value for the price.

I am not saying American companies can't do these things. They obviously can. I just feel they focus more on selling lifestyle, while many Chinese companies focus more on meeting the needs of consumers first. Maybe that's why Chinese products are becoming more attractive to many people around the world.

Am I seeing this wrongly?

Do you think America is selling brands while China is selling for consumers, or do you think both countries are doing the same thing in different ways?

What you say makes sense but it's not 100% like that, but, in general, that's true. Everyone, especially girls, buy iPhone because it's cool. Girls buy iPhone and MacBook because they heard that it's good and if they own it, they'll be cool, that's it. They don't buy it because they need it, they buy it because their names are iPhone and MacBook.
I'm also in shock that Starbucks coffee is so popular all over the world. I personally don't like their coffee and find it expensive, i.e. what I pay and what I get doesn't worth it for me. But brand again, it's cool to drink coffee in starbucks every day. Yes, these businesses know how to sell emotions and manipulate people, so they are very successful. Other, especially Chinese companies can't do that and instead, they are focused on identifying a frustration, removing it quickly and using a scale to reduce the price.

[Obim34]

As @BlackHatCoiner mentioned, it's about selling the outcome, or I'd say the experience and emotions rather than the product. Most people buy an iPhone because of the market sentiment around it, not because it's good. It is good, but I'm comparing the value proposition here.

True, after using different series of the iPhone, I can tell you that there is very little difference or importance in why the higher series are better than the lower series, I don't see much difference from how I've been using the older versions compared to what I have now.

China can actually create a copy of the iPhone and sell it for half of what the iPhone costs from the US company. Sometimes, it is not about the brand itself, it is people trying to be classist, anyone holding the iPhone is said to be worth more, even compared to someone using a more costly device, society is part of the problem.

[Fortify]

Before I proceed, I want to point out that American products are not bad. I am just airing a view I noticed based on what I have been hearing online.

Alright, since that has been cleared, let's move on.

America has some of the world's biggest brands, such as Apple, Nike, Starbucks and McDonald's. Many people love their products, including me. But I have noticed a growing trend. It seems America is becoming better at selling brands than selling products that meet the everyday needs of consumers. They are selling a dream. Like only a certain class of people can use this product. If you can't afford it, then maybe you are not in that class. It's more like selling emotions and lifestyle.

China, on the other hand, seems to sell products for consumers. Take Starbucks for instance. When it first entered China, everyone wanted one. They were promoting the brand and lifestyle. Then a Chinese coffee company, Luckin, saw how expensive Starbucks was and decided to do something different. They sold cheaper coffee, made ordering easier, and even delivered it to wherever you were. Instead of selling status, they focused on convenience and affordability.

It's not only coffee. iPhones are not left out too. Many people now argue that Huawei is bringing more innovation in phone designs. Tesla is not left out either. BYD is producing electric cars that many people see as good value for the price.

I am not saying American companies can't do these things. They obviously can. I just feel they focus more on selling lifestyle, while many Chinese companies focus more on meeting the needs of consumers first. Maybe that's why Chinese products are becoming more attractive to many people around the world.

Am I seeing this wrongly?

Do you think America is selling brands while China is selling for consumers, or do you think both countries are doing the same thing in different ways?

It's a meaningless observation. China wants brands but they just haven't had long enough to establish much of a reputation in many fields yet, but that is changing. Things like Nike or Windows took many decades to establish their reputation, which was incrementally built on but also marketed rather cleverly in different aspects. Nike had a big base of followers which would hold steady and they'd target new customers by advertising on things like sports with their big budgets. Most of the major Chinese companies didn't exist a couple decades ago but they are gaining ground now - phone manufacturers and car makers are slowly capturing market share, because they can offer better value but also contain many of the same features - the brand has less relevance to budget conscience consumers.

[Mate2237]

The answer to this your question maybe simply and that will be that every business has it target audience, this is the first rule that every business man and women should know, before opening a business. When ever a business person misses it's target audience they lost everything. And that is what we are seeing playing out in the international stage between America and that of china. If you can carefully study the Chinese business module which they has been using Chinese target mostly are for developing countries, which gives little or no attention to standards and original products. That is why Chinese goods are move more especially in the African market Chinese produce to satisfy what the specific market will decide.


Am not saying that china don't produce quality goods but China has understand market dynamics and that is definitely working out for them. Whether you say China is producing for only for consumers or not Chinese goods are one thing that has gained ground all over the world. And that is because China targets the consumers as their targets. America to me only is trying to serve a few portions of the population that is why they try to bring standard in their things.

[sunsilk]

Both of them are selling in different ways. While America has got the brands, that's what they have capitalized for and they're selling the experience and the status which OP and blackhat said correctly.

For example that the Tesla's and iPhones, AFAIK, the labor and manufacturing of these products are happening in China because of cheaper labor and wages.

And transfers it back to the US and sells them with a nice profit margin. Moreover, it's about the business and the target market. The status of target market of China are the consumers that both in poor/average and then the wealthy ones.

While the American brands are targeting the wealthy ones and that's why even poor people think they're highly valuable in the society when they buy those branded products.

I'm also in shock that Starbucks coffee is so popular all over the world. I personally don't like their coffee and find it expensive, i.e. what I pay and what I get doesn't worth it for me.

I buy coffee there whenever I can but it's true that it's expensive. A couple of cents of coffee that I can brew is overprice on them.

But they're not selling the actual coffee but it's the experience and the ambiance of their store. And that's really what these companies are good at which is effective to the masses.

[fruktik]

There are still more than enough pure US products.
Not everyone produces in China and ships it to the US to sell it locally.
Timber, Bricks, metal, Chips you name it.

But Media tends to think in 2 ways. Black and white thinking is the culprit of many mainstream media.

Does America just sell a dream in a pretty package? No, that's not true. I like Apple products. It's a good brand that hasn't just made a name for itself. They have truly amazing functionality. Yes, the prices are a bit steep, but they're definitely worth it.

I have nothing bad to say about products made in China. I'm currently writing this from a Huawei laptop. I've been using their devices for several years and I'm happy with everything.

[free-bit.co.in]

I would clarify that the U.S. produces TECHNOLOGIES that then make it possible to manufacture high-quality goods or goods with the necessary specifications. It was precisely the transfer of these technologies to China in the second half of the 1970s and 1980s that enabled China to become what it is today.
China makes its money through mass production and exports.

There is no denying that most of the core technologies the world relies on today originated in the West. However, China wasn't the only country that had access to US technologies in the early stages. Many countries had the same opportunity, but China seem to be the only one that not only absorbed those technologies but also built on them to develop its own technologies and industries.

Its fair to say that China has reached its current position through continuous effort and significant sacrifices, not because everything it has today was handed to it by the US. If they did not have the capability, then even with access to the most advanced technologies, they would not have become what they're today.

The question is, without China, would the world even have a chance to access affordable products like it does now?

[YellowSwap]

China gives you what you want, with pleasure, they have brands for everybody, too costly? They will give you your size, too cheap? They have expensive things too, I know that this litters the ground, it gives room to fake products but they make money still.

America has no room for cheap and fake products, they are contrabands to them and I love that about America, if you can't afford America products you should have no business with them.

I remember I bought a motherboard in the US that cost me $150 and it works but when I wanted to build another for someone I couldn't , so I ended up on Alibaba to buy motherboard, I got one for around $95 and it's already dead like 4 months of use.

[bhadz]

The question is, without China, would the world even have a chance to access affordable products like it does now?

I think that there will still be some other countries taking over if China isn't there, but it's hard to replace what they're producing with their products to the world. From the products related to the technology and as well as the labor that they also provide. While many don't like their politics, their politics have made them progressive today. There are cheaper products from them but don't expect the quality. I think it's a common knowledge that if buy things that are cheap, then it's expected that it's not as sturdy as the others manufactured somewhere.

[Somegory]

The best way for a man to defend his point is to speak for himself based on his past experience, America has a lost of products that are really useful, it's not just about status, it's also about something that just works.

China have reliable brands too but they create cheap products which in another way a form of scam, you can purchase a product from china and it will die very fast but get the same product from America and it will last longer.

 I can use Bitcoin miners as an example, hammer miner is high quality compare to NerdAxe that are put together in china, have anyone noticed this as well? America brands are reliable.

[Swordsoffreedom]

The best way for a man to defend his point is to speak for himself based on his past experience, America has a lost of products that are really useful, it's not just about status, it's also about something that just works.

China have reliable brands too but they create cheap products which in another way a form of scam, you can purchase a product from china and it will die very fast but get the same product from America and it will last longer.

 I can use Bitcoin miners as an example, hammer miner is high quality compare to NerdAxe that are put together in china, have anyone noticed this as well? America brands are reliable.

It's fair to say that US brand generally offer better quality, but it is unfair to label all cheap Chinese products as scam.

They would only be scammer if they sold products at prices comparable to or even higher than US brands while delivering much worse quality. However, if they are upfront about offering budget product, there is nothing deceptive about it. As consumer, we cannot have it both ways. We cannot expect premium quality while paying bargain prices.

By the way, have you ever used products made for the Chinese domestic market or their premium product? Don't judge all Chinese goods based only on the budget products you have used, as those are designed to serve the low cost market.

[justdimin]

I understand your point in consumer wanting quality and quantity but in America, it's different, I don't think research is being made to improve the quality and reduce the price for consumer maximum satisfaction but American spend alot of time marketing there brands, it works for consumers because of there social needs but not there financial needs.

That's why we see lots of devices that can work and meet our day to day needs with way lesser price and better features but we still go for higher priced devices because it is from THE brand like for instance, the Apple Phones.

That's the benefit of being in China, because quality goods are being manufactured for lesser prices. We often feel the more hyped brand has more quality and end up breaking banks for it.

You could literally see this in food. I do not know about food in China, not going to lie about that, but I sure do know about it in the USA. I can tell you that in the USA people are eating such garbage that it is not even just obesity that makes it hard for them; we are talking about even healthy-looking people having bad health. I mean Hong Kong (not exactly China, I know) has an average life expectancy of 85 years old; by comparison, the USA has 79. USA is the 62nd-ranked country by life expectancy results, and even if there were some numbers meddled with, we could still safely say that the USA is by no means ranked high, and it comes down to not just food, of course, but food is a big part of it.

When you eat very unhealthy foods, then you do not live that long. I am not talking about even like just junk food and candy and all that; I mean like even a simple chicken could have so many drugs to keep it alive and not get sick. It is no longer the chicken, you know; it's just some bio-chicken that is filled with stuff that they are eating.

So long story short, America cares just about money and not about the product, so if X thing is shitty but makes money for the brand, they do it. Another great example would be Apple; they make worse phones than Samsung by far in every technical measure, and yet they do sell for more, and they are preferred in the USA, so we can safely assume that people buy the brand, not the phone. That logic doesn't fly in most other parts of the world.

[dansus021]

America monetizes brand equity and ecosystem lock-in, while China monetizes supply chain speed and cost-to-performance efficiency. Companies like Apple, Starbucks, and Nike sell emotional connection, lifestyle, and aspirational status. This allows them to maintain 40%–60% gross margins because consumers aren't just paying for hardware or coffee they are paying for identity and brand prestige. Emerging companies always enter markets via price and utility first. As Chinese brands dominate global market share, they are already shifting toward building their own luxury status brands

[Venux]

Chinese products are very flexible. Especially from China you can get all kinds of products and all kinds of quality products. They make products for the rich, middle class and poor. They can make all kinds of quality products. They are also much more advanced technologically. That is why the USA has banned them in many section . So that they cannot get ahead of the USA in business. But China is still continuing their domination. And the companies of the USA mainly run with their own brand name and identity. Especially the people of the elite class use the products of the USA. But the same type of products or gadgets are also available in China, and in their case, China is making better useful products at a relatively low price. But some people give more importance to the brand and some people give more importance to the price and usefulness. In this regard, both the USA and China are ahead in two ways. However, the popularity of Chinese products is increasing a lot more than that of the USA worldwide.

[free-bit.co.in]

The question is, without China, would the world even have a chance to access affordable products like it does now?

I think that there will still be some other countries taking over if China isn't there, but it's hard to replace what they're producing with their products to the world. From the products related to the technology and as well as the labor that they also provide. While many don't like their politics, their politics have made them progressive today. There are cheaper products from them but don't expect the quality. I think it's a common knowledge that if buy things that are cheap, then it's expected that it's not as sturdy as the others manufactured somewhere.

In theory, it's possible. But in reality, China has become an irreplaceable and essential part of the world. Many people may deny this, but unfortunately, that's the truth.

If China could be replaced, the US and West would have done it a long time ago. They would have moved all companies, factories, and supply chains out of China to reduce their dependence. But as we can see, that's not possible.

Everything has a price. Show me a product from the US that is cheap, high quality, and easily accessible to the rest of the world. We will never find such a product.

[Localhostspeed]

China gives you what you want, with pleasure, they have brands for everybody, too costly? They will give you your size, too cheap? They have expensive things too, I know that this litters the ground, it gives room to fake products but they make money still.

America has no room for cheap and fake products, they are contrabands to them and I love that about America, if you can't afford America products you should have no business with them.

I remember I bought a motherboard in the US that cost me $150 and it works but when I wanted to build another for someone I couldn't , so I ended up on Alibaba to buy motherboard, I got one for around $95 and it's already dead like 4 months of use.

You know what's interesting about China, there focus is on masses, they preferred to have their sells in mass because it brings money faster than selling for high price and have more sales. Imagine that another country has brand that is selling an item for $1k per item and people see that it's too cost, they will not like to buy. If China see this opportunity, they will produce the same item and sell it for $500 or below and it's going to sell faster than the other countries.

Look at the SUV cars that China are manufacturing, they are ahead of many countries that you will think they are not in 2026, they should be around 2030 or more but I do think they don't get credit enough, they are silent by competitors so they don't out sell them. Sometimes, their internet censorship is not helping them, not every country can access their apps like we can use WhatsApp, Facebook, Tiktok and so many other apps that are accessible by everyone.

[Synchronice]

I'm also in shock that Starbucks coffee is so popular all over the world. I personally don't like their coffee and find it expensive, i.e. what I pay and what I get doesn't worth it for me.

I buy coffee there whenever I can but it's true that it's expensive. A couple of cents of coffee that I can brew is overprice on them.

But they're not selling the actual coffee but it's the experience and the ambiance of their store. And that's really what these companies are good at which is effective to the masses.

You are true, they aren't selling the coffee, they are selling the experience and the place, where you can sit without rush. But here is the thing, it's not only this, they really sell coffee too and I'll explain. Lots of people buy Starbucks coffee because they have heard this name and it's popular, it also looks beautiful from the outside. Starbucks has a great brand recognition and it plays a huge role. Besides this, they have consistency. Doesn't matter where you go, you know that Starbucks tastes the same everywhere you go. The same applies to McDonalds too. When I travel, I don't know where is good food and which food won't kill me but I know that even though it doesn't taste good for me, I can eat McDonalds and won't be poisoned, I'll at least eat something that I know how it tastes.

[lodocus]

No matter how much higher the quality or how much cheaper the products from the U.S., China, or any other country may be, they will always remain number one in sales because this goes beyond simply being a high-quality brand but it’s about being a symbol.

They set the standards for the entire world. Even what people will like, what they’ll enjoy wearing or eating depends on them. People mostly buy what they want, not what best meets their needs. And they’re the ones creating that desire.