as dismantled that narrative entirely. The China Online Consumer Brand Index (CBI500) doesn’t rely on opinion or speculation; it’s built on real transaction data across more than a billion consumer interactions. And it tells a very different story. The key takeaway I’ve found is this. Chinese consumers haven’t turned their backs on international brands at all. What they’ve done is raise their expectations. If you’re still relevant — still delivering quality, meaning, innovation and cultural fluency — they’ll still buy. In fact, they’ll reward you for it. Thirty-one per cent of the top 500 online brands in China are international. That figure alone should hopefully stop the “China’s off the table” thinking in its tracks. Of the 500 highest-performing online brands in China, nearly a third are actually global, and US brands in particular dominate the top 100. Apple tops the entire list. Nike, Estee Lauder, Coach, HP, Kiehl’s and even Disney are right behind. That’s not nostalgia. That’s relevance. It’s a signal to anyone paying attention: if your brand still carries weight, and you evolve fast enough to stay culturally and emotionally connected, you too can also win in China. So what’s actually changed? The consumer, not the opportunity China’s consumer has evolved rapidly. That’s nothing new and something we continue to see and experience in retail. But they haven’t turned inward; they’ve turned discerning. The new CBI500 shows a very clear shift away from price-first behaviour, hopefully something we see more of in this world. Today’s consumer wants: Functionality and efficacy: This is when the product works well and delivers real results. It simply does what it promises, whether that’s skincare that improves your skin, tech that performs reliably, or clothing that fits and lasts. Novelty and innovation: This is when a brand or product feels fresh, new and original. It brings something different to the table, new designs, improved features, or creative ideas that capture attention and keep us curious. Emotional and cultural resonance: These are those brands that connect on a deeper, more personal level. It reflects the customer’s values, traditions, identity, or aspirations. It feels relevant to our life — not just as a product, but as a part of who we are. Digital fluency and responsiveness: This is being present, fast and seamless across online platforms. Your brand communicates clearly, responds quickly and provides a smooth shopping experience, especially on mobile and social platforms where we live. In other words, they’re behaving more like the best customers in any market: seeking meaning, performance, and a sense of belonging in the brands they engage with. This isn’t a market that rewards shortcuts or legacy. It rewards story, speed, relevance and presence. What Adidas got right (and Australian brands still miss) One of the best examples in the study is Adidas, a brand I worked for nearly nine years. Despite trailing Nike in overall score, Adidas grew sales in Greater China by 10 per cent in 2024. How? They handed creative control to their local team, reduced product cycles from nine months to 45 days and shifted over 80 per cent of supply to China-for-China development. Simple and super smart in my opinion. They didn’t just localise. They adapted at speed. They got out of their own way. That kind of brand agility isn’t exclusive to a multinational giant. In fact, it’s the very edge that smaller Australian brands should be leaning into. If there’s one thing we’re known for, it’s clean beauty, wellness, craftsmanship, calm luxury. But too often, we rely on heritage to carry us instead of asking. Are we really listening to the customer we’re trying to serve and talk to? Are we adapting fast enough, and are we present enough, digitally, emotionally, culturally? Tier 2 cities: The quiet power centres no one’s talking about Here’s where it gets even more interesting. The CBI500 reveals that cities like Hangzhou, Chengdu, Suzhou, and Wuhan are rising, and rapidly, not just in their spending, but in brand quality expectations. These cities clearly represent the next frontier for consumer engagement. The shoppers there are young, connected, values-led and actively looking for brands that bring something meaningful to the table. They’re not buying less, they’re buying better. Australian brands that are obsessed with, or only focused on, Tier 1 cities are missing what’s quietly becoming the most dynamic segment in the Chinese market. So why are Australian brands still holding back? For some, it’s the obvious regulatory fatigue. For others, fear of failure, platform complexity, or geopolitical caution. But most often, what I see is something more fundamental: a lack of clarity. Clarity on who the customer is. Clarity on the emotional role their brand plays and clarity on how to deliver that role consistently and credibly across new cultures, channels and formats. It’s something more brands need to solve. Because the truth is the brands that win aren’t always the biggest or loudest anymore, they’re the ones who are the clearest.  They have the clearest story, the clearest identity and the clearest sense of what they offer that no one else can. China doesn’t want a discount — it wants a relationship If there’s one thing I am super excited about, it’s this. If there’s one myth this study kills off for good, it’s the idea that China is just about volume and price. That’s done. Today, China’s most powerful consumers, especially in emerging cities, are seeking depth, design, efficacy and emotion. They’re not racing to the bottom like so many. They’re climbing higher, and they’re pulling their expectations up with them. What they’re saying to brands is simple: “Don’t sell to me. Understand me. Deliver what matters to me. Show up with something that earns my trust and my loyalty will follow.” The real risk isn’t entering China, it’s dismissing it Every day that Australian brands delay or deprioritise China based on old assumptions is a day they lose ground, not just in China, but also in understanding what tomorrow’s global consumer is going to expect everywhere. The same expectations shaping Chinese consumption, speed, purpose, cultural nuance and digital fluency are already reshaping Southeast Asia, the Middle East and yes, even Australia itself. This isn’t just a China play. It’s a future play. Final thought: Clarity is the new advantage If you’re like me, you believe that emotion isn’t fluff, it’s infrastructure. And clarity isn’t a marketing line, it’s a strategic moat. The CBI500 isn’t just a report. It’s a reflection. A reflection of what happens when brands stop assuming they know and start learning fast enough to evolve. Australian brands have something valuable to offer the world. But to win in China, or anywhere in the world that expects more than just presence, you can’t show up with old strategies. You have to lead with clarity, deliver with relevance and stay emotionally present. Because China hasn’t stopped buying international brands. It’s just stopped waiting for them to catch up.