Chinese Shoppers Find Ways To Circumvent Imported Goods Sticker Shock

Chinese consumers – whose average per capita income is $7.500 compared to $42,693 in the U.S. – are paying a lot more for the same retail goods, from food to clothing to luxury items, that the rest of world buys. According to experts, the higher price tags reflect not only government taxes and tariffs, but also the steep costs of opening a retail store in China – passing tests, getting licenses and permits, etc. – all of which are  passed on to the consumer. For years, consumers were willing to pay the higher prices for the cachet of owning quality imported goods. But these days the sticker shock is leading not only to government crackdowns but to consumer backlash: shoppers are using the Internet and travel abroad to buy goods for less.