Leading Global Service Providers Hold Launch Event for "Retail in China" Collaborative Report

Shanghai, China, December 12, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Five distinguished multinational service providers hosted a joint event at Shanghai’s elegant KEE Club on the afternoon of November 26, 2014 celebrating the launch of the inaugural issue of “The Service Providers’ Perspective: Retail in China.”

The five firms consisted of Emerging Strategy, a leading provider of customized market intelligence services across global emerging markets; Bryan Cave, a diversified international legal practice with over 1,000 attorneys worldwide; Cushman & Wakefield, the world’s largest privately-held commercial real estate services firm; RTKL, a worldwide architecture, engineering, planning and creative services organization; and Bluecom Group, one of the largest e-commerce solution providers in Asia.

In attendance were founders and senior executives from all five firms as well as key clients operating within the retail space in China. Representatives from each of the five firms presented critical insights and their unique perspectives on various dimensions of China retail gleaned from their interactions with a multitude of retail industry client projects. This was followed by an interactive panel discussion and Q&A session with critical insights into China’s retail market provided by both the panelists and members of the audience.

Key Insights from the Report Include:

*China is expected to become the biggest retail market in the next few years and the retail sector continues to grow, but at decelerating rates; a trend expected to continue for the foreseeable future. For many retailers, the solution involves striking a balance between brick-and-mortar operations, and understanding what consumers look for in both a product and a shopping experience. (Emerging Strategy)

*Strategy and growth for markets and retailers alike will differ entirely relative to their level of development. The industry will grow at slower rates in mature markets such as Shanghai and Beijing (Emerging Strategy), and existing retailers will aim to optimize their real estate portfolio while new entrants look for high-profile flagship locations. (Cushman & Wakefield)

*Eight comprehensive tips on succeeding in China’s retail industry through a detailed understanding of the role of real estate (Cushman & Wakefield)

*The high-end market has exploded like wildfire, and consumers are interested in something more than just buying “stuff” in luxury designer shops. The challenge for retailers is to find a way to continue to draw shoppers in by integrating design into the consumer experience. (RTKL)

*Of a total population of 1.2 billion people, half are connected to the Internet, of which a third (about 250 million people) made at least one purchase online in 2013. In monetary terms, that is more than 1 billion euros (RMB8.2 billion) for all B2C, B2B and C2C transactions combined. (Bluecom Group)

*Given that the definition of “commercial franchising” is still very broad in China, concluding everything legally and with the proper paperwork when working with a China-based franchisee is crucial. Creating a retail distribution presence in China is fairly routine, and it is important to follow China’s legal regime despite certain regulations changing on a regular basis. (Bryan Cave)

“The launch event was a great success, bringing together a wide range of retailers from various sub-sectors including apparel, fashion & luxury, F&B, and consumer products. This led to some varied, but valuable insights into the current retail market landscape in China from a wide range of perspectives,” commented Adil Husain, Executive Director of Emerging Strategy. “We’ll be looking to carry the success of this publication forward into other industries as well, starting with Healthcare and Education.”

About Emerging Strategy
Emerging Strategy is the leading provider of customized market intelligence services across global emerging markets. We understand the complexity and opacity that businesses face when competing globally, particularly in emerging markets. We believe in lifting the veil by providing senior management with objective insights about markets and market participants, so that global businesses can get world-class products and services in the hands of customers. Our work spans all continents, with a focus on Asia and Latin America, but our studies have spanned over 50 countries to date. Our global headquarters are in Shanghai, our Latin America headquarters are in São Paulo, and we have a presence in other key client locations such as Singapore, Hong Kong and New York.