Regional differences in Chinese consumers' product purchase criteria and evaluation of Chinese versus Western brands

Purpose Country-level marketing strategies are increasingly unreliable in emerging markets, and treating nationally diverse consumers as homogeneous might be misleading. This study examines how intra-national market heterogeneity shapes consumer evaluations by comparing Chinese consumers’ product purchase criteria and their evaluations of Chinese versus Western brands across Beijing (Tier 1), Wuhan (Tier 2), and Harbin (Tier 3). It also tests whether the city tier moderates the link between purchase criteria and brand evaluations. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 1,585 adult consumers was collected via stratified sampling across the three cities. Product purchase criteria and perceived brand evaluations were measured on five shared attributes (quality, trust, reliability, image, price). Regional differences were assessed with MANOVA/ANOVA, and moderation was tested with regression-based interaction analysis. Findings Consumers in higher-tier cities (Beijing and Wuhan) reported significantly higher product purchase criteria than those in Harbin. Perceived evaluations of Western brands were highest in Beijing, whereas Wuhan consumers rated Chinese brands more favorably. City tier significantly moderated the criteria-to-evaluation link: Tier 1 consumers exhibited higher criteria but relied less on them when evaluating brands, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 consumers relied more heavily on these criteria. Originality/value This study reconceptualizes market heterogeneity by shifting from country-level comparisons to intra-national segmentation, demonstrating the intricate interplay between the (1) criteria-to-evaluation link, (2) city-tier variations, and (3) brand origin. It highlights the need for differentiated, region-sensitive marketing strategies in China’s tiered urban system and offers guidance for market entry and expansion in emerging markets.