British shops bow to Chinese shoppers and reap reward
Quality of customer service, including staff who speak Chinese, added to competitive pricing and ease of purchase using Unionpay credit cards, is drawing shoppers from China to UK stores
Londoners aren't known for their manners. But for the tens of thousands of Chinese tourists visiting the British capital each year, the city's hospitality is becoming a big pull factor.
Chinese-speaking staff, signs and maps in Chinese, and managers trained to receive a credit card with both hands and a slight bow are all increasingly common as the capital tries to woo the yuan.
Shop workers even know to offer hot, not iced, water to thirsty Chinese shoppers.
It's no wonder. In the first six months of this year, visitors from China spent more in Britain than tourists from any other country - accounting for a fifth of purchases by foreigners, reports tax refund firm Global Blue. The average Chinese visitor spends £2,688 (HK$32,500) per trip - more than four times the global average of £636, says tourist board VisitBritain.
Competitive pricing has long made London popular with Chinese visitors: designer goods in Britain are about 30 per cent cheaper than those in China because there are no import taxes, and foreign shoppers can claim a 20 per cent value-added tax refund.
British brands have also been slow to take their wares to China, says Fenella Barber, of the China-Britain Business Council. So the shoppers are coming to them.
Growing cultural sensitivity is helping Britain to capitalise on these advantages, says Taiwan-born Steven Bywater, who works for trend analysis firm Wei Consulting.
