本文是一篇营销毕业论文，通过本研究，希望能够为Q司提供其在中国市场营销策略的优化方案，帮助企业在日益激烈的市场环境中提高竞争力，同时也为天然化妆品原料行业的其他企业提供营销策略优化参考意见。
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Research Background
The consumption and market demand for natural cosmetic ingredients haveincreased significantly in recent years,reflecting the high level of global consumerinterest in sustainability,health and environmental protection.According to GrandView Research,the global natural cosmetic ingredients market reached$13.9 billionin 2022 and is expected to grow to$22.7 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 5.8%(Ji,2024).China,one of the world's largest and fastest-growing cosmetic markets,isexpected to reach RMB 430 billion by 2023,growing at a CAGR of 6.5%(Wang,2023).This growth reflects consumer preference for high-quality and naturalingredient products and signals an opportunities for companies to develop and usenatural ingredients.In China,in particular,consumers are increasingly concernedabout products'safety,naturalness and environmental friendliness,driving thecosmetics industry in a‘green’direction.At the same time,the Chinese government isalso actively guiding the healthy development of the cosmetics industry at the policysetting level.For example,the Regulation on the Supervision and Administration ofCosmetics(2020)clearly states that the production of cosmetics and the use of rawmaterials must comply with strict safety standards to protect the health of consumers.This policy not only sets higher standards for the cosmetics industry but alsoencourages companies to focus on the safety and sustainability of raw materials intheir research and development.
1.2 Research Focuses
This research focuses on the following three areas:
What are the specific marketing strategy issues that Company Q has encounteredduring its entry into the Chinese market,especially the challenges of operating anInternet e-commerce platform and promoting its brand?
What are the reasons for Company Q's poor marketing results in the Chinesemarket,especially in terms of brand localization,market positioning and customeracquisition strategies?
What effective countermeasures and marketing strategies can support CompanyQ improve its market competitiveness and brand influence in response to theproblems it has encountered in the Chinese market?
Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.1 Research Related to the Marketing of Cosmetic Ingredients
Cosmetic ingredient marketing research has shown a diversified developmenttrend in recent years,mainly focusing on innovation,sustainable development andsafety and regulatory issues of functional ingredients.With the intensification ofmarket competition and the diversification of consumer demands,cosmetic companiesare faced with the challenge of how to enhance their competitive advantages througheffective ingredient innovation and marketing promotion.The scholars'researchprovides the industry with a multi-level theoretical and practical guidance.
Malerich and Berson(2014)state that emerging cosmetic ingredients such aspeptides,growth factors and stem cells are gradually becoming a hot spot in themarket due to their anti-ageing and cellular regeneration functions,These ingredientscan provide companies with high-value-added products,which can help to create adifferentiated competitive advantage.Gorouhi and Maibach(2020),on the other hand,add that the role of peptides in preventing and treating skin ageing,especially theirapplication in leave on products,further strengthens their market position.Lima andMoraes(2019)further explored the multiple efficacies of bioactive peptides,especially their potential for antimicrobial and antioxidant applications,which hasmade them a much sought-after ingredient in the functional skincare market.Thesestudies suggest that the innovation and promotion of functional ingredients is a keydrivers in the current marketing of cosmetic ingredients.
2.2 Research on Marketing Strategy Problems and Countermeasures of ForeignEnterprises in China
With the deepening of China's market opening,the marketing strategy problemsof foreign enterprises in China have become an important research area in theacademic world.Many scholars have analyzed the actual operations of foreign firmsin China and explored the cultural adaptation,policy regulation and marketcompetition problems they are facing.Research trends indicate that foreign firmsmust continuously adjust their marketing strategies in the special environment of theChinese market in order to achieve sustainable development and market growth.
A significant challenge for foreign firms in China is how to adapt to China'sunique cultural environment.Miao et al.,(2021)point out that cultural differenceshave a great impact on multinational firms in terms of resource allocation,decision-making and market positioning.Prange(2023),through a number of casestudies,suggests that the key to foreign companies'success in China market lies ineffective localization strategies and brand adaptation,especially in the process ofproduct promotion that takes into account of the unique preferences of Chineseconsumers.Han(2023)further adds that the purchasing behaviors of Chineseconsumers differ significantly from those of Western markets,which calls for foreigncompanies to conduct a more accurate behaviors analysis of the consumers in theChinese market in order to avoid mistakes in brand positioning.Together,thesestudies suggest that cultural differences are not just about language and customs butalso include deep-rooted differences in social values and consumer behaviors,whichmake the marketing challenges for foreign firms in the Chinese market complex anddiverse.
Chapter 3 Case Description of Company Q....................17
3.1 Company Q Profile.................................17
3.2 Status of Company Q's Business in the Chinese Market...............19
Chapter 4 Root Causes Analysis for Marketing Strategy Problems in China..............41
4.1 Root Causes For Single Product Line...................41
4.1.1 Product Positioning Overly Focuses on the High-End Market...............41
4.1.2 Lack of Product Development Strategy for the Mid-Market..................42
Chapter 5 Suggestions..............................51
5.1 Expanding Product Lines to Meet Diversified Market Needs.......................51
5.1.1 Development of Raw Material Products for the Mid-Market.................51
5.1.2 Enriching the Product Portfolio with Serialized Products.......................52
Chapter 5 Suggestions
5.1 Expanding Product Lines to Meet Diversified Market Needs
5.1.1 Development of Raw Material Products for the Mid-Market
The Company Q needs to develop natural ingredient products suitable for themid-market by expanding its product development direction.Currently,the CompanyQ's product line is overly focused on high-value-added products such as high-endanti-aging and plant stem cells,while the mid-range market has a growing demand forfunctional ingredients such as basic skin care,moisturizing and whitening.Therefore,Company Q can maintain its existing high-end product line and add products thatfocus on cost-effective and widely applicable products,such as natural moisturizingingredients for daily skin care and basic antioxidant ingredients.According to the STPtheory(Market Segmentation,Target Market Selection and Market Positioning),companies should conduct precise product positioning according to the needs ofdifferent markets and ensure their coverage and competitiveness in each market bytargeting the development of products that meet the needs from customers at variouslevels.
At the execution level,Company Q could consider forming a specializedmid-market product development team to develop natural skin care ingredients withbroad application prospects,taking into account the characteristics of the localChinese market.For example,the company can cooperate with domestic researchinstitutes to conduct market research to understand the trend of consumer demand forbasic skin care products.Moreover,it can determine the direction of productdevelopment through cooperation with mid-range cosmetic manufacturers andcontinuously optimize the raw material formulas by taking into account customers'feedback in actual product promotion.In this way,Company Q can not only quicklycapture the mid-range market but also maintain its ability to innovate its products inthe adaption of ever-changing market demands.
Chapter 6 Conclusion
6.1 Research Summary
This study systematically analyzes Company Q's marketing strategy problems inthe Chinese market,focusing on the challenges it faces in terms of product strategy,pricing strategy,channel management and promotion strategy.Through questionnairesand interviews,this study finds that Company Q has the following four major strategyproblems in the Chinese market:first,one single product line,which fails to satisfythe needs of customers at different levels;second,insufficient flexibility in pricingstrategy,which fails to effectively respond to the price sensitivity of SMEs;third,inefficient channel integration,especially the poor performance of logistics anddistribution in the remote areas;fourth,the promotion strategy lacks innovation andfails to effectively attract customers and facilitate sales.
First,Company Q has obvious limitations in its product strategy.Although itsnatural cosmetic ingredients have achieved a certain degree of competitiveness in thehigh-end market,the singularity of its product range in the mid-range and massmarket makes it unable to satisfy a wide range of market demands.Customersgenerally give feedback that the company's product choices for functional productssuch as basic skincare,moisturizing and whitening are relatively limited and cannotcover a diversified customer base.In order to enhance its competitiveness in themarket,Company Q needs to further diversify its product line by increasing theresearch and development of basic skincare ingredients and launching serializedproducts,thereby expanding its market coverage.
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