Durability is low and many are counterfeit... but 6 out of 10 say "I will still buy Chinese products"

Low Quality Reliability but High Satisfaction with 'Gaseongbi'

Trust in the quality of Chinese-made products is low, but satisfaction with their cost-effectiveness (performance relative to price) is high. In particular, among those who have experience with Chinese shopping applications (apps), 6 out of 10 expressed an intention to repurchase.

On the 8th, market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor conducted a 'U&A survey on Chinese-made products and Chinese shopping apps' targeting 1,000 adult men and women aged 19 to 69 nationwide, revealing that trust in the quality of Chinese-made products is low.

Photo by AliExpress

Among all respondents, 82.0% evaluated that "Chinese-made products seem to have many counterfeit items that infringe on other brands' intellectual property rights," and 75.4% agreed that "even if the price is good, the quality or durability often falls short." Additionally, 74.8% responded that "compared to domestic products, Chinese products are likely to have lower quality."

Despite the low trust, consumers seek out Chinese products because of the "reasonable prices" promoted by Chinese shopping apps. Among all respondents, 6 out of 10 (57.7%) reported having purchased Chinese-made products within the last six months, citing ▲relatively low prices (61.0%, multiple responses allowed) and ▲good cost-effectiveness (35.5%) as key reasons for their purchase decisions.

There was also a tendency to prioritize price over the product's place of manufacture. 68.3% agreed that it is important to purchase products with good quality at a good price, regardless of whether they are Chinese-made or domestic, and a majority (56.4%) responded that if the product's quality is not very important, it is better to buy relatively inexpensive Chinese-made products.

The intention to use Chinese shopping apps in the future was not very high at 46.8%. However, among those with experience using Chinese shopping apps, the intention to reuse was relatively high at 61.7%.

Meanwhile, Chinese shopping platforms such as AliExpress (Ali), Temu, and Shein, which have adopted an "ultra-low price strategy," are rapidly expanding their market share in the domestic e-commerce market. According to app and retail analysis services WiseApp, Retail, and Goods, last month AliExpress's mobile monthly active users (MAU) reached 8.18 million, surpassing 11st (7.36 million) to rank second, chasing the top spot held by Coupang (30.1 million).

Domestic companies partnering with Ali are also emerging one after another. Recently, LG Household & Health Care and Amorepacific have entered Ali, and CJ CheilJedang started selling major popular products on Ali from the 7th. Dongwon F&B, Samyang Foods, and Pulmuone are also reportedly considering entry.

However, Chinese shopping faces concerns over counterfeit controversies and suspicions of non-compliance with personal information protection, raising fears of market disruption. The government plans to respond by establishing an "Overseas Direct Purchase Comprehensive Task Force" to prepare comprehensive countermeasures for overseas direct purchases.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.