Replying to [Elaine Dai]: As a young, professional woman in NYC with money to spend on cosmetics--as many people in China are now becoming--I feel I can comment on my many purchases.
![[em1]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_smile.gif)
I agree with many posters here that packaging is crucial. I would almost say this is the most important aspect of branding in the cosmetic industry. If the packaging is interesting, looks modern and scientific, in many ways, it establishes the company's credibility, even to customers who know nothing about them. I think this is key for China, particularly because of the low quality concerns. It sounds as if the quality debate is really a historical issue that has now become a stereotype, rather than a true indicator of Chinese cosmetics' current quality. I think, with the right packaging, a local Chinese company could: 1) win over local customers; 2) attract US/EU customers (especially if the Chinese company emphasized its green/herbal heritage); 3) attract other Asian customers who will equate the nicer packaging with higher quality, even if the price remains low.
Thanks for everyone's feedback!
LL