Easyhome, the Chinese decoration and construction material company based in Beijing, is continuously expanding by opening stores throughout China. The special feature of the company is their “one-stop” service, which includes decoration design and materials, and construction materials and furniture. These products are all offered in large-scale shopping centers, branded retail stores, or supermarkets. The main target market is the Chinese middle-class.
As the Chinese standard of living has improved over the past decade, more and more foreign brands are flooding into the Chinese market. This includes the decoration and construction material chains like IKEA from Sweden or B&Q from the UK. With their do-it-yourself (DIY) offers, these brands are really attractive to Chinese consumers and take a large part of the Chinese market, making it difficult for domestic companies to gain their footing.

As such, only a few domestic retailers have entered the market in China. However, Easyhome, the Chinese leader in this industry that is already widely present all over China, recently signed an agreement with the Kundulun district of Baotou, Inner Mongolia to open a new store in this area, with a total construction area of 60,000 square meters. One of the reasons why Easyhome stands out from other comparable domestic companies, besides its good product and service quality, is its brand positioning. The company’s general manager, Wang Linpeng, explains that Easyhome aims at targeting middle- to upper-class consumers, whereas in China construction and decoration material retailers usually offer a wide range of products with variable levels of quality and oftentimes poor service.

Thanks to its clear and effective brand positioning, Easyhome has been able to develop a strong brand image and to differentiate itself from its competitors. Without such positioning, Easyhome would probably not have been able to stand up to its international competitors. This example highlights that when it comes to building a strong brand, in China and elsewhere, brand positioning is of utmost importance.