芭比(Barbie)——美国式消费主义纤巧的象征——关闭了在上海的门店，这家全球最大芭比旗舰店只营业了两年。
该玩偶品牌所有者美泰公司(Mattel)表示，这家粉红色、占据6层空间的店铺，起到了在中国树立品牌知名度的作用。但分析师表示，由于美泰在中国市场水土不服，导致了这项投资失败。
芭比的撤退紧随家得宝(Home Depot)和百思买(Best Buy)之后——这两家美国零售商由于打不开市场，双双关闭了在中国的门店。
这些美国品牌的不走运令人惊讶，因为中国政府已把扩大内需列为首要政策。社会零售额也在强劲地持续增长，在2010年增幅超过了18%。
“这三家公司——百思买、家得宝和芭比——都不够迎合本地消费者的偏好和习惯。”中国市场研究集团(China Market Research)董事总经理雷小山(Shaun Rein)表示。
“拿芭比来说，他们选择了错误的地点（开设旗舰店），供应因《欲望都市》而走红的帕特里夏•菲尔兹(Patricia Fields)设计的性感服装，而中国年轻女性往往偏爱像Hello Kitty这种可爱的设计。”
许多西方品牌在中国都经营得很成功，非常赚钱，比如苹果(Apple)、耐克(Nike)、路威酩轩(LVMH)和雅诗兰黛(Estée Lauder)。
芭比上海旗舰店地处繁华的淮海路，除了供应世界上最齐全的芭比玩偶和昂贵的芭比服装，还设有美容沙龙和餐厅，年轻的中国顾客可以在这里化装成芭比，享用芭比喜爱的食物。
2009年3月芭比上海旗舰店盛大开张之时，美泰公司曾表示，这家旗舰店将成为“把芭比当作最好朋友的年轻女孩的终极目的地”。
本周一美泰表示，关闭芭比上海旗舰店“主要是由于战略调整”，美泰“将继续致力于在中国推广芭比品牌”。
分析师称，中国消费者认为芭比、百思买和家得宝都太昂贵，而这里是一个对价格极其敏感的市场。
译者/杨远
http://www.ftchinese.com/story/001037327
Barbie, the slender symbol of American consumerism, has shut up shop in Shanghai just two years after opening her biggest flagship store there.
Mattel, owner of the doll brand, said the bright pink, six-storey store had served its purpose of building brand awareness in China. But analysts say the investment failed because Mattel had not adjusted to the local market.
The withdrawal comes on the heels of store closures in China by US retailers Home Depot and Best Buy, which both struggled to crack the local market.
The misfortunes of the US brands are surprising since the Chinese government has made boosting domestic consumption a top policy priority. Retail sales also continue to grow strongly, at more than 18 per cent in 2010 from a year earlier.
“None of the three companies – Best Buy, Home Depot or Barbie – have catered to local consumer preferences and habits enough,” said Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group.
“In Barbie’s case, they chose the wrong location [for the flagship store] and they offered sexy clothes designed by Patricia Fields of Sex and the City fame when young Chinese women tend to prefer cute designs like Hello Kitty.”
Many Western brands, such as Apple, Nike, LVMH and Estée Lauder, have successful local operations in China and have become hugely profitable.
As well as having the world’s biggest collection of Barbie dolls and expensive Barbie-themed clothing, the store on the chic Huaihai Road boasted a beauty salon and restaurant where young Chinese could get made up like Barbie and eat her favourite food.
When the store opened with great fanfare in March 2009, Mattel said it would be the “ultimate destination for young girls who call Barbie a best friend”.
On Monday, Mattel said the closure was “mainly due to a strategy change” in China and the company “continues to be committed to developing the Barbie brand in China”.
Analysts said Barbie, Best Buy and Home Depot were seen by consumers as expensive in a very price-sensitive market.
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