"Vigilant in peace time," these four words may be used to describe the current Yanbu underwear industry status quo. Compared with other labor-intensive traditional processing industries in the South China Sea, the advantage of Yanbu underwear industry is that it has embarked on the road of own-brand earlier, and many enterprises have shifted their business focus to the domestic market before the crisis of external demand. However, this does not mean you can sit back and relax. Statistics show that in the first four months of this year, the sales of Yanbu underwear still maintained positive growth. However, many enterprises said that the growth rate was less than the same period in previous years and the sales of some products showed insufficient stamina. Despite the absence of a positive impact from the financial tsunami, competition within the underwear industry has become increasingly fierce. Chen Weiqiang, president of Yanbu Underwear Association, pointed out that the contradiction between the rapid development of industries and the shortage of professionals is the source of worries. Only a thorough solution to this problem, Yanbu underwear can be in product development and business management to a higher level, and further break the current second-tier brand positioning. Growth slowed in the first four months of this year According to industry experience, the annual March-May is the lingerie sales peak, the same period last year, sales rose more than 30%. But the peak this year is too quiet. Foreign demand continued to shrink with no suspense, while the high-expected domestic demand, though still maintaining its growth trend, was lower than in previous years. Nanhai Xinyi Underwear Co., Ltd. sales strategy has always been both inside and outside the market at the same time, as the owner of Chen Wei-Qiang, especially deep. Last year, the sales and domestic sales of Xinyi accounted for 78% and 22% respectively. However, the volume of new orders and unit prices for overseas sales in the first four months of this year have dropped by 20% and 15% respectively. From the beginning of this year, the Company adjusted its strategy and focused on exploring the domestic market, including exploring the existing sales channels in depth and opening up markets in the second-tier cities and the county markets in the Mainland. At present, both inside and outside the market, Xinyi's total sales volume compared with the same period last year was basically the same. Chen Weiqiang told reporters that the goal this year is to adjust the ratio of export to domestic sales to 6: 4. Compared with some enterprises that rush into the domestic market only after the financial tsunami, Xinyi underwear already has certain popularity, sales channels and domestic sales experience in China, and it is said that it is not difficult to "turn around". However, Chen Weiqiang still feel a little worried. From the first quarter of this year's chain, the growth rate of domestic sales showed a month-by-month downward trend, which is somewhat abnormal. Chen Weiqiang analysis pointed out that this is mainly due to most of Yanbu local underwear brand in the country are second-tier brands, affected by the economic downturn, the purchasing power of its major consumer groups have declined; the other hand because of the external market decline, some manufacturers will focus on sales To domestic, the market "cake" drew more contenders. Fierce competition, business worries "price war" However, for now, Yanbu underwear cluster in the competition still has obvious advantages. In the domestic well-known brand of underwear 15, Yanbu has 7, almost occupy the "half." At present, several well-known local brands are broadly divided into two camps: the business owners represented by Carrie, Olly Lennon, and Mays think the domestic market has occupied a certain market share and the brand reputation is relatively high , So the pressure is relatively small; and other parts of the company represented by the new Yi underwear originally dominated by foreign markets, but larger, mostly with a fixed partner and channel, so the ability to resist risks is also strong. Faced with the greatest risk are those who do not have their own brands, smaller businesses, the line generally agreed that this year will be a "shuffling year." Chen Weiqiang's biggest worry is precisely contained in such a "shuffle." "The market will be flat before the end of May this year, and the fact also proves this judgment, but in the second half, as the pressure of competition continues to increase, some companies may not be able to withstand the pressure." Chen Weiqiang said: Now most worried about because of fierce competition led to abnormal competition, "indiscriminate price war, product homogeneity, profit margins are getting smaller and smaller, in fact, tantamount to suicide." He revealed that for some time now have been There is such a sign. In such circumstances, including many new Xinyi Yanbu underwear brands have accelerated the research and development of new products, such as the development of functional products such as underwear adjustment, and the use of technical means to reduce costs and develop more cost-effective economy product. Nurturing and expanding consumer groups has also become a common strategy for many businesses. Jia Li poetry vice president Yao Feixia told reporters that the brand has been established for 14 years, initially trained a group of consumers has now entered middle age, the company in product development will take into account more diverse age groups, including the training of emerging Of young consumers, as well as for middle-aged consumers to develop suitable for their physical condition and psychological products, the market will be further broken down. This is bound to put forward higher requirements for the research and development of enterprises. Comprehensive underwear professionals in short supply Despite the economic downturn, the inevitable underwear industry waves. But in Chen Weiqiang view, this is only a cyclical adjustment, underwear as a necessities of life, with its rigid demand, the current level of economic development, there is still room for improvement of domestic consumption of underwear, there is still a huge market Business. In fact, in recent years China has become one of the fastest growing regions in the global underwear industry. In the last year, domestic underwear industry professionals proposed that in the next three to five years or even longer, the annual growth rate of China's underwear should be Around 20%. "Cake" is attractive, but how to seize is learned. At present, many enterprises regard innovation as a breakthrough to hijack the industrial high ground. However, it is undeniable that the majority of Yanbu underwear brands are second-tier leading brands in China. Over the years of development, they still can not break through the watershed of second-tier brands and first-line brands, which are not commensurate with the market popularity and share of Yanbu Underwear . In recent years, some enterprises think they already have the potential and explosive power of the first-tier brands. At present, they are trying to break through this channel by adopting different brand integration strategies. What is hindering the further development of Yanbu underwear industry? According to Chen Wei-keung, the contradiction between the rapid development of industries and the shortage of professionals in recent years is that "innovation" is in fact the most important one. "Want to break the positioning of second-tier brands, talent flow, product development, business management, we must innovate, we must improve." Chen Wei-Qiang, Yanbu underwear brand to sprint first, we must first solve the brand personality differences The problem, most front-line brands on the market have a relatively distinct brand culture and brand personality, on the basis of this continue to enrich the product type and increase added value. This undoubtedly requires a lot of talented people to support. "Unlike underwear, underwear is not only beautiful and comfortable, it also has to be a body-shaping effect. It is a comprehensive course that involves design, color science, ergonomics and even marketing." Chen Weiqiang told Reporter, domestic professionals in underwear extremely scarce. Although some schools have already started the relevant underwear courses, but the curriculum is still too thin, there is a gap with the docking market, the current underwear marketing professionals, R & D personnel training basically rely on their own nurturing. Precisely because of this, the Yanbu underwear industry, which has a good foundation for industrial clusters, can hardly absorb nutrients outside itself and the upgrade path has become particularly long.