Consumer Revolution In China

In the late twentieth century, a large proportion of Chinese citizens indeed experienced the consumer revolution. Consumer revolution, according to Griggiths (2013), the contemporary state encouraged consumer spending throughout the 1990s in order to sustain economic growth, and promised Chinese individuals greater possibilities for self-expression than ever before. Besides, claimed by Chao and Myers (1998), as early as the 1950s, families in China tried to buy bicycles, sewing machines, and watches; in the late 1960s, they tried to purchase black and white television sets; in the 1970s, households tries to purchase washing machines; by the late 1980’s, most Chinese citizens owned new bicycles, watches, and sewing machines; and in the late 1990’s, luxury products became

However, the third wave of mass consumption starts in 1992. It began with the unprecedented phenomenon of xiahai because money-making became their highest ideal. A craze that led a quick growth of stock markets by investment also stimulated citizens’ desires to the pursuit of some better consumer goods such as high quality or luxurious products. Economically speaking, since the purchasing power and bargaining power of customer increased, sellers were necessarily required to resort to various techniques to promote sales. What is more, since China introduced “double leisure days” policy to the public in 1995, workers were able to spend a lot more time to visit shops to compare the prices and quality of the products they want to purchase. In view of the high demand of high-quality products, many high-class boutiques and department stores imported and offered a variety of luxurious products such as jewelry, exotic clothing, Swiss watches, etc., which increased the market supply and diversified the