Internet giant Alibaba and leading university Peking University have joined forces to set up a new consumer index, the China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI). Consumer expert Ashley Dudarenok highlights how the attitude of consumers has shifted in the world’s second economy over the past few years, as noted in Jing Daily.
Ashley Dudarenok:
For years, the playbook for winning in China was a mix of big-name endorsements, heritage storytelling, and a relentless focus on the Tier-1 coastal elite.
That playbook is now obsolete. The China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI), a landmark study from Peking University and Alibaba, crunches the numbers on nearly one billion consumers and reveals a market that is not just evolving, but has fundamentally transformed.The report, released August 20, isn’t just another data dump; it’s a stark look at a new consumer psyche — one that is more pragmatic, digitally native, and geographically diverse than ever before. For global brands, the findings are both a warning and a massive opportunity. Simply showing up is no longer enough.
China’s CBI, developed by Peking University’s National School of Development in partnership with Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group, evaluates brands across four key dimensions: Brand Awareness (32.5%), Brand Novelty (27.5%), Customer Loyalty (22.5%), and Customer Satisfaction (17.5%). The index uniquely emphasizes Brand Novelty—reflecting China’s appetite for innovative, fast-growing brands that appeal to younger consumers…
Perhaps the most significant long-term trend identified by the CBI is the further geographic diffusion of wealth and consumer power. While the world focused on Shanghai and Beijing, cities like Hefei, Zhengzhou, Chongqing and Nanchang have quietly emerged as hotspots of high average consumption quality, sometimes even surpassing their Tier-1 counterparts.
This is not just about rising incomes. It reflects a deeper trend of “consumption upgrading” across the country. Consumers in these cities are increasingly sophisticated, demanding the same quality and brand diversity as those in the coastal megacities. For brands, this means the Tier-1 strategy is no longer sufficient.
The next wave of growth will come from understanding the nuanced cultural and economic landscapes of these rising urban centers. Brands that build logistics, marketing, and community-building strategies tailored to these new frontiers will secure the next decade of growth.
To sum up, the data is unequivocal: Chinese consumers have graduated from being passive recipients of brand messaging to active, discerning partners in value creation. The brands that understand and adapt to this new reality will not just win in China, they will define the future of global commerce.
More details in the Jing Daily.
Ashley Dudarenok is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers’ request form.
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