Chinese deserve better overseas shopping experience

Balloon and airplane decorations at a shopping mall in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Dec 2, 2012. [Dong Jinlin/Asianewsphoto]

BEIJING - As the annual Christmas sales season is underway, shopping centers across the world are once again expecting the patronage of cash-rich Chinese tourists obsessed with quality products ranging from smart phones to lavish lady's handbags.

As Americans and Europeans tend to tighten their purse strings, big spending Chinese shoppers topped the tax-free shopping leader board in cities such as London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

Unfortunately, a number of Western businesses took the windfall for granted and failed to reward Chinese shoppers with warm treatment and basic respect.

Just ahead of this Christmas, a 44-year-old Chinese woman was arrested by police with electric shock device at an iPhone store in Nashua, New Hampshire because the Chinese-speaking woman could not understand the store's policy in English.

Many Chinese netizens shared online their sad stories of shopping aboard, such as buying fake gold necklaces from a foreign country, failing to get tax refund as promised, being banned from buying more than a certain amount of products, being asked to show passports before shopping.

They also complained about prejudice imposed by big brand names, chronic tardiness of the service sector, or lack of Chinese cuisine and language service in hotels.

Whether for Chinese or for tourists of other countries, whether in China or in other countries, all consumers shall enjoy their basic rights and be treated equally.

To serve foreign consumers well involves improvement of equal-footing policies, better services, language communications, cultural understanding, and a warm attitude.

To woo "Demand from China," many world fashion designers and auto makers are attempting to create series exclusively for Chinese taste, by either employing more Chinese staff or simply relocate R&D centers to the nation.

Accommodation industries in some countries are discussing with their Chinese partners over the possibility of building joint ventures or boosting staff training plans, so that Chinese guests can feel at home while they are fascinated by exotic natural beauty.

While asked upon tips to win China's demand, Australian Accommodation Association Chairman Garry Crockett said, "Hug Chinese consumers, and you will win the future."

As Chinese are set to become the world's top shoppers, their spending is bearing more global implications. When Chinese shoppers bring fortune to the struggling global economy, they deserve a merry shopping experience abroad.