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CE China makes debut

By Maria Santos
3 min read
CE China makes debut
In this article (5)

Brings together local and international retailers and suppliers.

The CE China exhibition launched in Shenzhen this week, created by the organisers of the annual IFA Berlin exhibition, has brought together retailers including Alibaba and Amazon China with leading Chinese and international manufacturers for a unique exhibition concept.

There were over 150 exhibitors for the three-day event, concluding today (April 22) across an exhibition area of over 15,000 square metres at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.

According to Jens Heithecker (pictured below), the executive director of IFA at Messe Berlin, this new exhibition is designed to provide Chinese consumers and members of the trade with a local and international experience.

CE China makes debut

“Welcome to the very first edition of the new CE China trade show and you can see it is a retail brand show – this means we have Chinese retailers as well as Chinese brands and global brands from around the world here in one place. This is the newest show for the Chinese market, but with clear influence to the Asian markets as well.

“We are proud that some of our largest exhibitors the very first year of the show are retailers such as Alibaba, Suning, Gome and Amazon China. In addition to this, from the industry side the dominating booths are from Bosch, Siemens, Karcher, Onkyo emphasising that this is an international show. It is not a trade show with a lot of small booths, it is a brand show that China has not seen so frequently in the past.

CE China makes debut

There were over 150 exhibitors for the three-day event, concluding today (April 22) across an exhibition area of over 15,000 square metres at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center.

“It is a step for IFA to conquer the Asian market with our own show, but we have also realised in the last couple of months what influence this show has to Berlin. We have much better contact with the Chinese retailers and manufacturers who are better informed about IFA in Berlin.

“We have also brought the Euronics and Expert buying groups from Europe and they will inform the industry in China that they act differently to other retailers worldwide, the influence is both ways. We bring over international and niche brands that is what the new Chinese middle class is looking for and of course the leading brands worldwide.

“We have two kinds of trade visitors – the traditional Chinese retailers with central buyers who spread out the products through the shops, but also in this competitive environment of rising online retailers, it is clear that you have to train staff in a better way so the retail shops have better chance to survive.

“The consumer experience in-store has to be an experience and not only a place to pick up products. And the manufacturers feel as though they need much more brand experience in the retail stores, bringing retailers and manufacturers together to train each other with the newest products for the best sales outcome. That is the basic idea here in China and we look forward to demonstrating how we do it in Europe.

CE China makes debut

“The other point, is that here in the region of Shenzhen is the world’s largest hub for the electronics industry which means for all these companies developing, manufacturing and marketing these products they need to understand in a better way to work with international brands and international markets and this is the chance for them to see and learn about at CE China.”

Dr. Christian Göke, CEO of Messe Berlin added: “As the Asian counterpart of the global IFA trade show, CE China is consciously aligned to the needs of Chinese distributors, and existing retail structures in particular. These distributors are interested in products manufactured by well-known international brands. It will be our task to successfully bring together these companies and distributors at CE China.”

Questions & Answers

Q.

What was the main purpose of the new CE China exhibition in Shenzhen?

A.

The exhibition aimed to connect Chinese consumers and trade members with local and international experiences. It brought together retailers and manufacturers to show both Chinese and global brands in one place.

Q.

Which major retailers and brands were present at the debut event?

A.

Key retailers such as Alibaba, Suning, Gome, and Amazon China attended. Leading industry brands like Bosch, Siemens, Karcher, and Onkyo also had dominant booths at the exhibition.

Q.

How does CE China benefit the organisers of IFA Berlin?

A.

The show helps IFA better connect with Chinese retailers and manufacturers, increasing their awareness of the Berlin event. It also serves as a step for IFA to expand its presence within the Asian market.

Q.

What specific influence did European buying groups have at the exhibition?

A.

Euronics and Expert buying groups from Europe were present to inform the Chinese industry about their distinct operating methods compared to other international retailers, bringing a two-way influence.

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