Learning how small gestures can make a world of difference
Meet Veronica, aka Celia Chen, all of 8 years old. Young, energetic and enterprising, this United States’ native of Chinese origin is truly amazing. She had some free time, and she told me that she had volunteered to help her parents at a Chinese eatery in Long Island, New York. She is amazing, because a child of her age anywhere in the world would usually be playing with her toys instead of sitting in front of a cash register in a tiny restaurant.
Her deftness at the till and her ability to charm customers were truly amazing. As she collected and handed me my takeout, and I in turn bid her goodbye, she gave me a lollipop. When I told her that I am past the age of lollipops, her reply came quickly, “In that case, give it to your child”.
The way she took control of my order and collected the payment made me realize how one can take up responsibilities even at that tender age, and that there is nothing like a cut-off period when you can really begin. Age is no bar.
That reminded me of the so-called trade friction between China and the US. Trade friction? That is hard to believe. After all, everyone knows that the US needs China as much as China needs the US. It’s two-way traffic, something that was reinforced during my recent vacation in the US.
When I set out on a twoweek trip that included my nephew’s wedding, it was with some trepidation.
While I was keen to take in some of the leading tourist attractions, there was concern about how the lingering trade tensions would play out.
Though nothing much happened on that front, my dream of visiting tourist spots was grounded by Hurricane Florence and a prolonged spell of bad weather that lasted for pretty much most of my trip.
But as they say, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining.” The trip gave me an opportunity to understand how much of a presence China is in the global economy. Both my outward and return flights to Washington were packed with Chinese tourists. Be it in Washington, New York or smaller towns, Chinese people accounted for a large number of the tourists and were undoubtedly giving US tourism a much-needed boost. It was pretty much the same at the University of North Carolina, home to several Chinese students.
In 2016, Chinese visitors to the US spent $34.8 billion in retail outlets and on accommodations, travel and education, according to US government data.
During my trip, I was amazed to see Chinese stores thronged with shoppers in towns such as Raleigh, North Carolina. What was even more surprising was that most of these stores stocked goods identical to those one would find on shelves in Wumart or other department stores across China.
There were Chinese noodles, dishes, condiments, sauces and even newspapers on offer at these stores.
In New York, I caught up with Chien Li, the owner of yet-another busy Chinese restaurant in Manhattan, over dinner.
Li’s modest eatery was packed with diners piling into chicken and pork delicacies, while his brother was busy taking orders on the phone.
“In the mornings we often get busloads of Chinese tourists eager to have cuisine that they are familiar with, while at night it is busy executives from nearby offices who want quick, hot meals. Yes, business is booming,” said the 55-year, who migrated to the US from Shanghai.
But the real revelation came during a trip to Macy’s on a cold, rainy morning in New York. The iconic retail establishment was packed with Chinese shoppers looking for bargains on all kinds of high-end clothing.
The hustle and bustle was reminiscent of the cacophony at the Bairong market on the outskirts of Beijing.
Surprisingly, most of the products being purchased were actually made in China. It was the same at the nearby Empire State Building’s souvenir shop. Nearly 90 percent of the products in the store were made in China and were selling like hot cakes.
“Consumer expectations are changing and so is the face of retail. It has risen quickly with higher disposable income (for example, the need for a higher level of convenience and higher quality
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goods). Retailers have also evolved quickly to meet these expectations,” said Pedro Yip, a partner at Oliver Wyman, a global management consultancy.
What is really happening in the retail sector is that the trend is shifting toward “everything available at anytime anywhere”, but providing value is still important, and currently, promotions are playing this role, he added.
And that is where small gestures like little Veronica’s in Long Island can make a big difference.
Perhaps more retailers and establishments in China will go that extra mile to make shopping or eating out a more pleasant experience.