There has been a noticeable increase in interest in translation and relating to educational products and services aimed at the Chinese market. Why is this?
A country which imposes a ‘one child only’ policy on parents might not seem, at first glance, the most attractive market for educational toys and tools. But when that market has around 400 million 0-14 year olds and a long tradition of parents willing to make sacrifices for the sake of their children’s education, that market suddenly looks much more promising.
Economically, the climate is favourable for the sale of educational toys. On the one hand, the Chinese value education highly and have a strong motivation to excel; education is seen as a crucial foundation for success. On the other, the increased spending power of Chinese families means that, at the same time as putting pressure on their child to succeed, parents will happily spend on their children in ways that will help them do so. Today, Chinese parents want their children to achieve personal success more than ever.
Business considering exporting to China should especially note these market trends:
o The items that children consume – toys, video games, DVDs and television programmes – are much more marketable to Chinese parents if they have an educational aspect to them.
o Chinese parents are very keen that their children speak fluent English which means that educational items that help them learn English are very popular.
o Chinese consumer overall expenditure on education was RMB606 trillion in 2006 and is forecast to double by 2015.
o On toys alone, expenditure is expected to reach RMB100 billion (about US$14 billion) by 2010.
o The average household expenditure increased by 50% between 2001 and 2006.
o Chinese parents can spend up to 50 of their household income on their children, particularly in urban areas.
o Western brands and products are regarded very favourably as representing good quality which boosts the appeal of western educational products.
All of which throws light on why China is now a market that many educational goods and toys manufacturers are looking towards.
Communicating effectively with this market can be a tricky task. Not only do you need to ensure the product is appealing to the consumer, the child, but you also need to convey a different message to the customer, the parent, who will appreciate the educational benefits being made clear in a credible way.
Experts recommend a two-pronged approach.
Firstly, make the product appealing to children. If there are instructions for use, make them simple to understand and ensure that your translation is accurate and as easy to comprehend as the original language version.
Secondly, remember the parents’ concerns about quality and safety when marketing your products. Ensure that these messages are reinforced in the way you write about the products. Good quality translation can demonstrate that not only does the western toy seller show attention to detail in the product but also shows respect for the culture that they are selling to.