(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
Chinese luxury consumers don’t buy the most expensive item — they buy the one that feels smart next to the most expensive item. Overseas brands that skip the high-anchor strategy leave 30–50 % margin on the table. Here are the exact rules the top performers follow.
- Anchor Height Rules for China
1.1 The 4×–6× Rule Your highest visible price must be at least 4–6 times your target AOV item. A brand selling ¥30,000 watches must display at least one ¥150,000+ tourbillon as the anchor.
1.2 Regional Price Adjustment In Tier-1 cities (Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen) anchors can be 20–30 % higher than in Tier-2 without losing credibility.
- Digital Shelf Psychology
2.1 Sort-by-Price High First On Xiaohongshu, Tmall, and Dewu, temporarily set default sorting to “price high → low” during new collection launches so the anchor appears first.
2.2 “Customers Also Viewed” Engineering Platform algorithms favor showing the anchor alongside mid-tier products, automatically creating the contrast effect at scale.
- VIP & Membership Anchoring
3.1 Private Client Room Strategy In offline flagship stores, invite high-potential clients to view the anchor pieces in private salons, instantly elevating their willingness to spend on the “everyday” collection. - Storytelling Around the Anchor
4.1 Heritage & Craftsmanship Narrative Position the anchor as the ultimate expression of centuries-old craftsmanship — consumers happily pay premium for the main collection knowing it shares DNA with the masterpiece.
Case Study – Swiss Watchmaker Shanghai Flagship 2025 A Swiss brand placed a ¥1,280,000 minute-repeater grand complication as permanent display in-store anchor. Core models remained ¥88,000–¥168,000. Result: year-over-year same-store AOV increased 64 %, with zero additional discounting needed.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
