Things I’ve learned in China so far

November 10, 2008 By

Just some quick impressions.

1. If you want to compete with your web service and keep copying from happening, do two things: 1. let users upload streaming, live, video. That drives the censors here nuts. 2. Make your system totally open so your users can leave. The Chinese don’t understand that concept. They love cloning walled garden approaches like Facebook. Even that won’t guarantee success here, they have resources for cloning services that you just wouldn’t believe.

2. If you could make face masks sexy you could make a mint here. The pollution is horrendous. Last time I was here, 11 years ago, it was bad, but now it’s worse and people are starting to wear masks to protect their lungs. I think a good marketing campaign would be all you’d need.

3. American brands are doing very well here. There are tons of Buicks here (GM started with Buick because that was a brand that was in the national consciousness here. There are tons of American brands here from Osh-Kosh to McDonalds to Budweiser (they think it’s better beer than their own beer).

4. I met with quite a few geeks here building companies. It was very rare to find an entrepreneur that had been in Shanghai for more than six years. The amount of new people moving in to build businesses is amazing.

5. The censorship here is an annoyance that everyone makes fun of. It’s sort of like having a boss that randomly turns off websites to try to keep you working on what he wants you to work on. But, when you dig deeper you see it really is a protectionist scheme that keeps businesses from outside China from effectively competing. There are several Facebook clones here that are more popular (and more profitable, even) than Facebook itself.

6. I’ll never complain again about California drivers or California smog laws.

7. Chicken feet are more tasty than one might expect.

More to come soon.

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  • http://www.madcaow.com/ madcaow

    hah. great post.

  • http://www.madcaow.com madcaow

    hah. great post.

  • http://tEarn.com/ DJ Chang

    Quick word of advice – Invest with care. Funds have a habit of disappearing – at every stage of a business project. Have fun and socialize.

  • http://tEarn.com DJ Chang

    Quick word of advice – Invest with care. Funds have a habit of disappearing – at every stage of a business project. Have fun and socialize.

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  • http://www.musicforcandles.com/ James Feagans

    China and their people will soon become compassionate.

  • http://www.musicforcandles.com James Feagans

    China and their people will soon become compassionate.

  • http://www.musicforcandles.com/ James Feagans

    Why don u pay for all of your theft.

  • http://www.musicforcandles.com James Feagans

    Why don u pay for all of your theft.

  • http://9gag.com Ray

    Chicken feet are not bad but if you are in Shanghai, the best food should be the soup dumpling (Xiaolongbao). You must try it before you leave!

  • http://9gag.com/ Ray

    Chicken feet are not bad but if you are in Shanghai, the best food should be the soup dumpling (Xiaolongbao). You must try it before you leave!

  • http://wiredearthblog.com/ Ryo

    Budweiser isn’t american. It’s Czech lager.

  • http://wiredearthblog.com Ryo

    Budweiser isn’t american. It’s Czech lager.

  • http://www.clarityaccounting.com maychu

    Try a Chinese reflexology foot massage while you are there. It is quite the experience and can improve your sleep if jet lagged. Also, haggle like crazy! They see you and they will jack up the price, cut it down to at least half or walk away. Also, get someone else to wash your hair at the hair salon, it should cost less than $10 USD and comes with a scalp and shoulder massage…the advantages of cheap labor…

  • http://www.clarityaccounting.com May

    Try a Chinese reflexology foot massage while you are there. It is quite the experience and can improve your sleep if jet lagged. Also, haggle like crazy! They see you and they will jack up the price, cut it down to at least half or walk away. Also, get someone else to wash your hair at the hair salon, it should cost less than $10 USD and comes with a scalp and shoulder massage…the advantages of cheap labor…

  • http://www.marc.cn/ Marc van der Chijs

    Interesting observations so far, Robert. I would not recommend anybody to start a streaming live video service though. If you try to do it inside China you won’t get a license (=end of business before you can even start) and and if you host outside China the service will likely be blocked within a few weeks.

    The face masks are actually not for the pollution (a common misconception) but you wear them if you have a cold to avoid infecting others.

  • http://www.marc.cn Marc van der Chijs

    Interesting observations so far, Robert. I would not recommend anybody to start a streaming live video service though. If you try to do it inside China you won’t get a license (=end of business before you can even start) and and if you host outside China the service will likely be blocked within a few weeks.

    The face masks are actually not for the pollution (a common misconception) but you wear them if you have a cold to avoid infecting others.

  • http://www.shwons.com/ Cai

    Ha! I read “If you could make face masks sexy you could make a mint here. The POPULATION is horrendous” and thought, that’s rather uncalled for!

    I wonder how India compares to China in terms of potential future impact in the tech industry. I imagine the Great Firewall will prevent the adoption and realisation of the openness ideas we’re coming to accept / expect with new web apps.

  • http://www.shwons.com Cai

    Ha! I read “If you could make face masks sexy you could make a mint here. The POPULATION is horrendous” and thought, that’s rather uncalled for!

    I wonder how India compares to China in terms of potential future impact in the tech industry. I imagine the Great Firewall will prevent the adoption and realisation of the openness ideas we’re coming to accept / expect with new web apps.

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  • http://digitalphotoframetemplates.com/2008/11/11/make-your-own-photo-calendar-using-the-photomatic-team/ Photo Calendar Guy

    Yeah. I would think chicken feet might be flavorful just like the wing tip. I haven’t tasted chicken feet though. Bring back a recipe. We can have them as snacks at a special Scobleizer conference!

  • http://digitalphotoframetemplates.com/2008/11/11/make-your-own-photo-calendar-using-the-photomatic-team/ Photo Calendar Guy

    Yeah. I would think chicken feet might be flavorful just like the wing tip. I haven’t tasted chicken feet though. Bring back a recipe. We can have them as snacks at a special Scobleizer conference!

  • http://www.votesimivalley.com/ Mike Chandler

    I think I’m still going to go ahead and complain about California smog laws, at least those relating to cars.

  • http://www.votesimivalley.com Mike Chandler

    I think I’m still going to go ahead and complain about California smog laws, at least those relating to cars.

  • http://www.nostuff.org/words/ chriskeene

    They like American Bud?

    It was all going so well.

  • http://www.nostuff.org/words/ chriskeene

    They like American Bud?

    It was all going so well.

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  • http://pop17.com/ Sarah Austin

    What are the Facebooks of China?

    I did a little digging and found these two:

    http://www.xiaonei.com
    http://www.51.com/

    Am I right?

  • http://pop17.com Sarah Austin

    What are the Facebooks of China?

    I did a little digging and found these two:

    http://www.xiaonei.com
    http://www.51.com/

    Am I right?

  • http://www.speak-tome.com/ Ted Murphy

    This is a great post, thank you. I love travelogue stuff like this. Very much appreciated.

  • http://www.speak-tome.com Ted Murphy

    This is a great post, thank you. I love travelogue stuff like this. Very much appreciated.

  • http://www.twitter.com/stephsibal Stephanie Sibal

    Robert,

    Sounds like a great trip so far– I have to admit that a blog posts admitting that trying out chicken feet wasn’t that bad are few and far in between!

  • http://www.twitter.com/stephsibal Stephanie Sibal

    Robert,

    Sounds like a great trip so far– I have to admit that a blog posts admitting that trying out chicken feet wasn’t that bad are few and far in between!

  • http://gabybruna.com/ Gaby Bruna

    Hey Rob…

    ONE OF MY MEMORIES OF WEB-DRIVEN CHINA:

    1-Going into tucked away internet cafes located in between apartments in Beijing.
    2-Having to give in my ID and get it fotocopied (drove me insane)
    3-Barely able to find a computer available because these room were FILLED with dozens of teenagers, men and women, all playing video games, smoking and drinking Sprite.
    4-NOTE: This was of course on a Wednesday at 11am)
    5-Adamant to judge, I must confess I did feel scared and felt sorry for all those young people in there. It was a weird vibe.

  • http://gabybruna.com Gaby Bruna

    Hey Rob…

    ONE OF MY MEMORIES OF WEB-DRIVEN CHINA:

    1-Going into tucked away internet cafes located in between apartments in Beijing.
    2-Having to give in my ID and get it fotocopied (drove me insane)
    3-Barely able to find a computer available because these room were FILLED with dozens of teenagers, men and women, all playing video games, smoking and drinking Sprite.
    4-NOTE: This was of course on a Wednesday at 11am)
    5-Adamant to judge, I must confess I did feel scared and felt sorry for all those young people in there. It was a weird vibe.

  • http://www.yellowhousecookbook.com/ Chris Andrew

    Sexy gas masks. Unfortunately I see this being big. Love the post.

  • http://www.yellowhousecookbook.com Chris Andrew

    Sexy gas masks. Unfortunately I see this being big. Love the post.

  • http://www.commentino.com/ Ori Matalon

    #6 is so true, drive carefully ;-)

    my comments at http://www.commentino.com/orim

  • http://www.commentino.com Ori Matalon

    #6 is so true, drive carefully ;-)

    my comments at http://www.commentino.com/orim

  • Henry

    Thanks for showing your ignorance.

  • Bob Evans’ Sausage

    With all of your “I am not an American”, Socialist, liberal leanings, it’s no wonder you have assimilated so well. Did you buy a one-way ticket or round trip?

  • Henry

    Thanks for showing your ignorance.

  • Bob Evans’ Sausage

    With all of your “I am not an American”, Socialist, liberal leanings, it’s no wonder you have assimilated so well. Did you buy a one-way ticket or round trip?

  • http://filipinopawnshop.com/ Sparky

    7. Yes, chicken feet are very tasty. My youngest son was born in Thailand. Earlier this year, we went back to the states for a vacation. We went to KFC. What did he ask to eat? Fried Chicken Feet! The staff behind the counter thought he meant chicken legs. Imagine the look on their faces when I explained what he really wanted.

    Another chicken feet story, right before the Iraq War, an Iraqi Kurdish friend was visiting us in southern Thailand. At the local internet cafe, he came running up to me and said, “Oh my god, what are those people eating? It looks like some kind of weird animal.” Nope, it was fried chicken feet.

  • http://filipinopawnshop.com Sparky

    7. Yes, chicken feet are very tasty. My youngest son was born in Thailand. Earlier this year, we went back to the states for a vacation. We went to KFC. What did he ask to eat? Fried Chicken Feet! The staff behind the counter thought he meant chicken legs. Imagine the look on their faces when I explained what he really wanted.

    Another chicken feet story, right before the Iraq War, an Iraqi Kurdish friend was visiting us in southern Thailand. At the local internet cafe, he came running up to me and said, “Oh my god, what are those people eating? It looks like some kind of weird animal.” Nope, it was fried chicken feet.

  • Ben

    You are braver than I am eating chicken feet. Have you tried drunken prawns yet?

  • Ben

    You are braver than I am eating chicken feet. Have you tried drunken prawns yet?

  • http://www.cloudmuse.com/ tim

    just to add to May’s post: when haggling, offer .10 of the asking price. walk away at least twice.

  • http://www.cloudmuse.com tim

    just to add to May’s post: when haggling, offer .10 of the asking price. walk away at least twice.

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