On the Pros and Cons of Starbucks in the Chinese Market
了解星巴克企业
Introduction of Starbucks
企业背景：星巴克咖啡公司成立于1971年，是世界领先的特种咖啡的零售商，烘焙者和品牌拥有者。旗下零售产品包括30多款全球顶级的咖啡豆、手工制作的浓缩咖啡和多款咖啡冷热饮料、新鲜美味的各式糕点食品以及丰富多样的咖啡机、咖啡杯等商品。
Enterprise Background: Set up in 1971, Starbucks is a globally leading coffee retailer, baker, and brand possessor. It owns over 30 branches of products, including top-level coconut, upgrading hand-made coffee, various cool or hot coffee drinks, delicious cakes as well as multifarious coffee machines and cups.
消费定位：星巴克的价格定位是“多数人承担得起的奢侈品”，消费者定位是“白领阶层”。这些顾客大部分是高级知识分子，爱好精品、美食和艺术，而且是收入较高、忠诚度极高的消费阶层。
Target Consumers: Starbucks sets itself as “a luxury affordable for the majority”, and targets its customers as the white-collars, most of which are well-educated, high-income, and greatly loyal intellectuals, taking a fancy to quality goods, yummy and art.
拓展策略：星巴克向各地拓展的做法是先攻下该地区的大城市，塑造良好的口碑后，再以此为中心，向周围较小的市镇进军。在拓展过程中，星巴克会先参考各地的人口结构资料，仔细进行分析，确定有合适的客户群之后，才会进入该地区。
Expansion Strategy: Starbucks follows the strategy of setting foot in large cities first, and then expanding towards peripheral towns after it has gained a reputation, during the process of which it will take the local population structure into consideration and will not enter the market unless suitable customer groups are guaranteed.
中国市场：星巴克看好中国市场的巨大潜力，立志于在中国长期发展，与中国经济共同成长。自1998年进入中国以来，星巴克已在包括香港、台湾和澳门在内的大中华区开设了430多家门店，其中约200家在大陆地区。目前，星巴克正积极拓展大陆二线市场，致力于在不久的将来使中国成为星巴克在美国之外最大的国际市场。
Starbucks in China: Starbucks is determined to seek long-term development in the prospective market of China. Since its entry into China in 1998, Starbucks has set up over 430 branches
throughout the country including regions of Hongkong, Taiwan and Macao, with about 200 in the mainland. It is currently exploring actively markets on the second front in the mainland, aimed to develop China as the second largest market after America.
企业文化：星巴克人认为：他们的产品不单是咖啡，咖啡只是一种载体。而正是通过咖啡这种载体，星巴克把一种独特的格调传送给顾客。咖啡的消费很大程度上是一种感性的文化层次上的消费，文化的沟通需要的就是咖啡店所营造的环境文化能够感染顾客，并形成良好的互动体验。
Corporation Culture: Starbucks views its products as far more than merely coffee. Coffee is but a carrier, through which Starbucks conveys to its customers a unique style. Coffee consumption is to a large degree a consumption on the basis of perceptual and culture needs, and what cultural communication strives for is exactly an influential environment culture and the friendly interaction experience.
星巴克在中国的市场环境优势
The advantage of Starbucks in the Chinese Market
1. 迎合中国人的风俗习惯，但仍保留了它独有的咖啡特色.
如生产了星巴克月饼，星愿，星语系列等,但口味仍是不常见的香哥伦比亚咖啡榛子脆，佛罗那咖啡巧克力等。在标志上趋于传统保守，从开始袒胸露乳到后来的已经很难分辨出她的双尾的版本，少了“性”引诱，多了亲和力。
Starbucks satisfies Chinese customers' needs , producing such traditional Chinese food as Starbucks moon cakes which yet remain the unique original flavour of coffee.
2. 与异业结盟。
通过与合资伙伴以营销和分销协议生产和销售瓶装咖啡饮料、浓缩咖啡和冰淇淋，并不断拓展茶、音乐光盘等新的产品和品牌。采用品牌联盟迅速扩大品牌优势，在发展的过程中寻找能够提升自己品牌资产的战略伙伴，拓展销售渠道，与强势伙伴结盟，扩充营销网络。随着一些二，三线城市的快速发展，星巴克也逐渐扩大其市场规模，遍布中国各地。
Starbucks allies itself with other companies to develop new products like bottled coffee, espresso coffee , ice cream ,tea and so on. The variety of products and originality of service programmes have sharply and stably improved its competitive capability.
3. 星巴克总部统一领导，目的是控制品质标准.
总部统筹管理和训练员工，每家都是正血统，采用最高标准进行采购烘焙，并提供最新鲜的咖啡，建立了同业中的最专业的形象。
Starbucks is put under unified management with the aim of maintaining high quality. That is embodied in that employees are trained under the same standard, that the freshest materials are provided and that the most advanced techniques are employed.
4. 营造独特的“星巴克体验”。
除了统一的外观，每家店都有自己与众不同的特色。且因季节的不同，星巴克还会设计新的海报和旗标装饰店面。现场精湛的钢琴演奏、欧美经典的音乐背景、流行时尚的报刊杂志、精美的欧式饰品等配套设施，力求给消费者营造高贵、时尚、浪漫、文化的感觉氛围。喝咖啡变成一种生活体验,让人感觉不仅在消遣休闲而且还能体验时尚与文化，促进一些二，三线城市的快速发展。
Starbucks creates the special "Starbucks Experience". In addition to the same external design, each branch has its own characteristic. Each intends to create a noble, modern, romantic and cultural atmosphere with different creative ideas including piano performance, European decoration style etc.
5. 公司会通过体现企业社会责任的活动回馈社会，改善环境，回报合作伙伴和咖啡产区农民，争做负责任的中国企业公民。
如2005年9月，公司出资4000万元人民币设立 “星巴克中国教育项目”，专门用于改善中
国教育状况，特别是帮助中西部贫困的地区的教师和学生。而因咖啡有其独特的文化性，赞助文化活动，对星巴克形象推广很重要。比如上海举行的APEC会议，星巴克就是主要的赞助商。并且在一些二，三线城市，星巴克也为当地经济发展提供了一些帮助，做出巨大贡献。
To requite society , Starbucks ,to the largest extent, undertakes its social responsibilities in various fields ---politics, education, culture and so forth. Via these strategies, it effectively improves its image.
6. 市场的定位是爱好精品、美食和艺术，而且是收入较高、忠诚度极高的消费阶层——城
市白领。
他们认同了一种服务后，会长期稳定地使用这种服务。星巴克还推出方便的高速无线上网服务。如果人多，星巴克就会专门配备咖啡师并细心讲解咖啡文化。文化给其较高的价格一个存在的充分理由，顾客获得心理满足，星巴克也获取高额的利润。而近来生活水平的提高也使消费群扩展。所以随着经济的发展，一些二，三线城市也将成为星巴克庞大的市场，发展前景相当可观。
Starbucks targets at urban white-collars who have high income and pursue delicious food. Not only does it guarantees its sales, but this market position brings with it new customers.
7.采用了朴实的口碑营销口口相传。
在过去若干年中星巴克广告投入不到销售额的1％，最终降低了消费者的成本。星巴克有衡量新品的简单方法——客户评价。因为他们能够感到新产品或服务与星巴克品牌的关系，给予更准确的信息。
Starbucks has established a good reputation with its own regard for customers through its introduction of the customer evaluation system, which provides it with more accurate and updating information.
8.雇员的工资和福利十分优厚。
星巴克每年会有固定的调薪。员工加班会开心，因为加班员工可以享受公司提供的各种额外福利措施，甚至是员工家庭的补贴，这在同行业中极为罕见。这对一些二，三线城市的居民来说，是一种非常好的福利政策，能大大提高人民生活水平，减轻一些家庭负担。此外还可以按照规定低价购买公司的股票期权。员工可以通过各种途径献计献策，并得到高度重视。星巴克决策变得更加灵活，也更有应变力， 团队内部信任、尊重与沟通氛围，工作更有激情。
Starbucks supplies its employees with good salary and welfare, boosting their enthusiasm for work. Besides, employees are encouraged to come up with various ideas, which helps Starbucks' decision system become more flexible and more effective.
星巴克在中国的市场环境劣势
The Disadvantage of Starbucks in the Chinese Market
1. 健康问题上对中国市场有隐瞒Dishonesty in the issue of health
代糖（供糖尿病患者食用）对肾脏的负担很大，且有致癌可能！星巴克的所有“代糖”包装上都有英文的标注:“UNSUITABLE FOR PHENYLKENTONURICS”，同时按照规定将这些标注进行翻译。深圳版和香港版的包装上的英文基本一样，而汉语翻译在成分等介绍方面也完全一样，唯一不同的却是在对“代糖”危害性的翻译上出现了不同。香港版提示为：“苯酮尿症患者不宜使用”。而深圳版的翻译却是：苯酮尿症患者：含苯胺基丙酸。
Sugar substitute(for diabetics) inflicts a huge burden on kidneys, and poses the threat of cancer. All the packages of Starbucks goods are labelled with an English note:” UNSUITABLE FOR PHENYLKENTONURICS”, with the translation as is regulated. The English versions offered by Shenzhen and Hongkong branches are nearly the same, with the Chinese translation and introduction of components identical, while the only difference lies in the translation of the harms of “sugar substitute”. The Hongkong version warns that “苯酮尿症患者不宜使用”, while the Shenzhen version translates it as “苯酮尿症患者：含苯胺基丙酸”.
长期致力于研究英语专业、应用语言学及翻译的深圳大学文学院英文系主任刘毅副教授指出，这段英文的正确应翻译为：“该品不适于苯酮尿症患者食用”或“因为含有阿斯巴甜成分，不适于苯酮尿症患者食用”香港版的翻译正确，而深圳版的翻译不正确。
Associate Prof. Liu Yi, dean of English Department of Shenzhen University Language School, who has been long devoted to the research of the English major, applied linguistics and translation, points out that the English tip should be correctly translated as ““该品不适于苯酮尿症患者食用”or“因为含有阿斯巴甜成分，不适于苯酮尿症患者食用”as it is in the Hongkong version, and therefore the Shenzhen version proves wrong.
所以，星巴克涉嫌利用翻译，来淡化警告内容。国外星巴克咖啡馆里的低卡路糖糖包上有鲜艳的红色标识，警示该产品含有saccharin（糖精），已经确定对实验室的动物导致癌症。而国内的中文包装却没有致癌警示。
Hence the Starbucks is suspected of underplaying the potential dangers through translation. Besides, foreign Starbucks branches label the low-calorie sugar bag with bright red signals,
warning that the products contain saccharin, which has been verified to contribute to cancer in the laboratory animals, whereas there are no such signals on Chinese packaging.
2.全英文的收银条，让顾客很困惑Confusion caused by the receipt in English
全英文的收银条，只有少数人能看懂，不能保证让大部分消费者明白自己都消费了什么，剥夺了消费者的知情权 。星巴克的菜单和店内的价目单都是中英文对照的，消费后的结账小票只是用于店员内部沟通。此外，因国内部分店的软件系统直接使用国外版本的，所以结账小票就会是全英文账单。中文作为中国法定语言和文字，在任何账单和消费商品上都应注有中文，任何商家都应使用法定语言告知消费者。而星巴克的全英文账单剥夺了消费者知情权的实现。这种现象在一些经济不太发达，文化水平相对不高的二，三线城市表现的尤为明显，所以，应该在收银条上增加中文说明，让不懂英文的中国消费者一目了然。
Given that only a minority of customers are able to understand the receipt in English, the majority are deprived of the right to know since they cannot know what they have paid for. Starbucks menus and price lists are all written in Chinese and English, while the bill records are only kept for internal communication. Moreover, the bill records are all in English because of the directly introduced foreign software in Starbucks. As the official language of China, Chinese must be attached to all bills and commodities, and used by all sellers to provide information for customers. The receipt in English, however, deprives customers of their right to know. Thus, Chinese translation should be attached to the receipt so as to serve the Chinese customers who do not know English.
3.位居高档消费区，只卖高档咖啡Limitation of target customers
在中国星巴克的选址策略一直是在最繁华的商业区域开设咖啡馆，以吸引商务消费者和情侣消费者这两大类消费群体，这暴露了星巴克瞄准的消费群体是时尚的制造者和追逐者的缺陷。那么，对于一些二，三线城市的人们来说，绝大多数消费者对这种奢侈品是不可企及的。中国是一个没有咖啡历史的国家，咖啡对于中国人而言，并不如美国或欧洲国家那样不可或缺。中国人对某一款咖啡的喜爱，并不由咖啡决定，而在很大程度上取决于经营咖啡的场所。虽然在经济危机时期星巴克“自降身价”，但它仍然是“奢侈”的咖啡品牌。速溶咖啡与上乘品质不沾边，速溶咖啡从来都是那些咖啡爱好者、甚至也是视咖啡品质与消费体验为生命的星巴克所不屑一顾的。
Starbucks has been always selecting to set up branches in the busiest commercial districts in China in order to attract its major consumer groups—businessmen and lovers, which reveals its defect in its strategy of targeting at fashion producers and chasers. Unlike European countries and America, where coffee is indispensable, China is a country without coffee history. Therefore, Chinese customers’ preference for coffee lies more often in the location instead of coffee itself. Although Starbucks lowered its prices during the economic recession, it remains a luxury coffee brand. Instant coffee, which has no association with high quality, has been disdained by Starbucks who takes coffee quality and consumption experience as life.
4.对中国茶文化了解甚浅，难以推广星巴克茶产品
Lack of understanding of Chinese Tea Culture
大部分中国人不喝咖啡不懂咖啡也不想懂咖啡。对于中国人而言，普及喝茶不会像其他国家一样费事，数千年饮茶文化积淀，使得国内喝茶的人相当普遍。星巴克对中国茶道知之甚少，目前仍然在为新的茶饮料上市做调查和准备工作，尝试着将茶融入星巴克文化之中，恐怕将面临更多挑战。对于一些经济实力较弱，竞争力比较小的二，三线城市能否应对这一
挑战，这也是目前一大难题。
The majority of Chinese do not drink or learn about coffee, neither do they want to. Tea is much more popular in China than in other countries, for the thousands of years of tea culture lead many people to take a fancy to tea. Starbucks, who knows little of Chinese tea culture, is still conducting surveys in preparation of its launching of new tea drinks, which incorporate tea into its culture, and thus is expected to confront many challenges.