“5 Myths About the Chinese Consumer”, a Seeking Alpha article by Yee Ong, CFA, discusses his experiences traveling in China, and how the country’s sprawling and complex economic landscape may not always offer fertile ground for Western companies, particularly if they are unprepared for differences in language, culture, and attitudes toward spending. Ong dismisses five popular misconceptions about the Chinese consumer:

1. Chinese people are no longer impoverished
2. The richest in China are predominantly old business people
3. Chinese are big spenders
4. Just sell to the Chinese, they are all the same
5. Companies that can penetrate the Chinese market will prosper

The advises investors to be cautious about the prospect of investing in China – though good returns are possible, it is by no means an easy place for foreign companies to do business. – read more at Seeking Alpha.com…