Why Amazon's kindle might not catch on in China - Shaun Rein

Shaun Rein

Amazon is trying to return to China, but business analyst Shaun Rein doubts severely whether China's consumers are waiting for the elsewhere so successful Kindle, he tells in Abacus News. China's Xiaomi could be more successful as a competitor, but has problems of its own, he adds.

Abacus News:

Analysts say smartphones have an edge over dedicated ebook readers in China. Unlike Americans, who adopted the Kindle to read ebooks before smartphones became widely popular, Chinese people leapfrogged e-readers and went straight to using smartphones, according to Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group.

“They’re much more comfortable reading books off a mobile phone interface than something specifically for books like the Kindle,” he said... 

“Because salaries are a little bit lower in China, people are less likely to buy a TV, a mobile phone, a Kindle reader, and many multiple devices,” said Rein. “So they’re willing to spend a larger proportion of their monthly salary on, say, a mobile phone than Americans would… They’re putting all their money into mobile phones.”... 

“I think Xiaomi has potential, but I think Xiaomi in general is just one of those companies that has way too many product lines,” said Rein. “Basically they try to get into every product category there is and just spread into their internet of things, but they don’t necessarily have a cohesive strategy.”

More in Abacus News.

Shaun Rein is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need him at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.

Are you looking for more branding experts? Do check out this list.