How a Tech Startup is Braving the Sea of Hostility Between the USA and China

The US and China have maintained a historically tumultuous relationship, I think we can all agree on that.

Unfortunately, this volatility gets magnified during times of societal change and pressure. Say, during a global pandemic, like the one we’re experiencing right now.

Business between these two powerhouse nations plays a significant role in holding everything together. In fact, smooth and consistent trade relations can be considered the thread that invisibly binds the US and China — and benefits both sides at an unparalleled scale.

And yet, not everyone is aware, or welcoming, of professional ties between the East and West. We know this because of the 300+ interesting messages we’ve received on some recent Facebook ad campaigns.

“Hi this is America here: we got some hate we can sell you, and some intolerance thrown in for free, the lies and propaganda you will have to pay for yourself 😁”. Yikes.

But we’re not going to let that stop us.

AdChina.io is proudly leading the charge for Western startups wanting to gain ground in the East. How? Let us explain…

Why we believe in China as a market — and how we’re helping other brands break in

Many domestic markets in the US are suffering as a result of COVID.

American consumer spending nosedived an astonishing 16.4% in April alone.

With approximately 10% of the population out of work and an ever-increasing number of confirmed cases, the virus will undeniably impact consumerism and retail sales for the foreseeable future. In short, this forces many retailers to take a more proactive approach to selling their products internationally.

“The road to recovery for [American] retail will be tenuous and take on more of a W-shaped recovery. The resurgence of COVID-19 poses a major risk.”

– Camilla Yanushevsky, CFRA Research

Conversely, the Chinese market has recovered rapidly; attracting the attention of 800+ new businesses to AdChina over the last 6 months alone. What’s more, we’ve seen a 300% increase in ad spend from existing users — thanks to increased purchasing from Chinese consumers and faster stabilization of major markets.

Appealing to and converting Chinese consumers can still be daunting, though.

There are significant challenges when taking on the monumental task of penetrating any foreign market — especially for the first time. And sellers face many potential obstacles:

• Distinctions in buyer journey and behavior
• Paradoxes in international marketing
• Cultural nuances and sensitivities
• Bureaucracy and red tape.

So what makes AdChina.io the ideal solution for businesses looking to sell in China?

Our platform enables Western brands to expedite and simplify the process of advertising their products on 10 leading channels from a single dashboard — so they can start selling fast. Our local expertise also all but removes that feeling of “doing it alone”. There’s far fewer frustrations,  and the West to East learning curve is smoothed out for you.

Maintaining balance in uncertain times

Helping Western businesses advertise and sell in China can place AdChina.io right in the middle of a lot of controversies. This can often make it feel as though we’re being pushed in two directions — navigating “off course” — at any given time.

Maybe you know that feeling, too?

After all, there’s always an element of balancing — managing supply and demand, and market changes — in business. What’s important is staying steadfast in your values and approach.

We’ve learned to take the good with the bad, finding motivation and inspiration in the negatives and using them to adjust, adapt, and improve. And we encourage our peers to take the same disposition — take the hate with the support and find a middle ground that still facilitates growth!

Our product places us in the ideal situation to do so. By providing a platform that empowers Western brands to sell in the Chinese market, we’re sailing through some rough seas — but where we’re headed looks very promising indeed.

Our CEO, Jie Zhang, describes it as:

“We see people taking sides between “slowbalization” and globalization. We believe that the more trade there is, the more peaceful the world is. And that is why we stand firm with globalization. And by facilitating more trade and communication between China and the world, we are a business for good.”

Our message for fellow startups in unpredictable situations is simple: focus on the good, learn from the bad, and believe in your product!

Onward and upward

Not only startups, but most businesses are struggling at the moment. It’s important to keep going and not allow the standard of service offered to your clients suffer — no matter what other people say.

It’s easy to feel lost, but emulate what other businesses are doing to stay afloat and keep your eye on the prize. The ‘new normal’ is here whether we like it or not, so remain agile and prepared to pivot to keep with the times. Figure out what your strengths are and stick to those, and soon the obstacles won’t seem so huge.

In the meantime, AdChina.io will continue with our vision of a mutually-beneficial trade relationship between the US and China. A relationship free of hostility and misunderstanding, where both sides experience equal positives.

And if you agree, then why not join us?

Here at AdChina.io, we’ve helped some big names achieve huge sales success in China. Our innovative software makes targeting Chinese consumers easy, affordable and flexible, with options to run complete, end-to-end strategies or DIY campaigns to run however you like.

Book your free demo today to boost your sales, and unlock the biggest market in the world.