CH:INA

2

Taobao.com

Often touted as China’s answer to both eBay and Amazon, Taobao.com is China’s #1 online marketplace, and is also #1 in our China Simplicity Index. Surve respondents praised the brand’s ability to reduce the hassle of online shopping. “You can get everything without leaving home,” explains one respondent. The site also goes above and beyond to simplify the payments and shipping process, with streamlined mobile payment options and same-day shipping.

3

S.F. Express

One of China’s leading couriers, S.F. Express provides both domestic and international express delivery. In a country where couriers are known to be unreliable (think damaged and lost goods), S.F. Express has been able to remain above the fray. Respondents praise its reliability and speed, asserting that S.F. Express is faster and more secure than competitors.

4

Baidu

Baidu is a diverse web services company whose search engine boasts more than a billion visits per month. The brand’s ability to cull the vast web into orderly search results is the main attraction, with survey respondents specifically citing its easy-to-browse news items and rich library of videos. Users can get information without going “around the world to learn,” according to one respondent.

5

Tmall.com

As Taobao’s e-commerce counterpart, Tmall.com mirrors its simple user experience. Respondents find the search function to be simple and robust, and the products high quality, making it easy to choose to use the online retailer with little hassle or worry. As European and American brands like Burberry establish their first Chinese e-commerce presence through dedicated Tmall e-stores, the brand is making it easy for consumers to purchase authentic products straight from the source.

6

McDonald’s

Consistency is the key to this fast food giant’s appeal in China. The foolproof East-meets-West menu, stable prices and speedy service also contribute to the brand’s simplicity. McDonald’s—as well as another fast food brand on our list—is also tinkering with mobile payments, hoping to ensnare the ever-increasing number of tech-savvy Chinese smartphone users.

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7

Sogou

Sogou is a search engine—which is appropriate because its name means “search dog.” Its clean interface makes it easy to operate on both desktop computers and smartphones. The search engine is a clear but distant second to Baidu, though some marketers find it more convenient to advertise there due to the lower cost.

8

KFC

KFC will experiment with mobile payment methods in China, which has the potential to reinforce the brand’s image as fast and convenient, allowing even more expedited payment. Consumers really responded to the chain’s frequent new product launches and its easy-to-understand advertising.

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9

HaiDiLao Hot Pot

A hot pot chain in Beijing and Shanghai that is famous throughout China, Haidilao Hot Pot is a restaurant that allows customers to cook their own food tableside with a seemingly endless variety of customization options. Respondents praise the simple, fast and clean food preparation, with one explaining that “the process [is] easier and faster than other similar brands.”

10

QQ

This popular and approachable messaging and chat service has more than 829 million users in China. Since its inception in 1999, the service has grown to include video chat, social games, shopping, blogging and music streaming, making it a convenient one-stop shop for connecting with friends. Survey respondents call QQ simple because no matter where, what time, or on what device, “you can sit there with friends from different places.”

11

Alipay

Launched by online retailer Alibaba Group, Alipay is a payment platform that commands the largest market share in China. Respondents praise its ease, speed and convenience, with one respondent calling it an “indispensible tool” for online shopping. And given China’s weak consumer protection laws, Alipay’s escrow feature—which allows buyers to withhold payment until receiving a satisfactory product—empowers consumers shopping online.

12

WeChat

13

Huawei

14

OPPO

15

Xiaomi

16

Pizza Hut

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17

7-Days Inn

18

Sina

19

Suning

20

Shentong Express

21

Midea

22

Youku

23

Home Inns

24

Jinjiang Inns

25

RT-Mart

26

YTO Express

27

JD.com

28

Samsung

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29

Weibo

30

IKEA

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31

ZARA

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32

Walmart

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33

Yunda Express

34

Tudou

35

Yihaodian.com

36

Google

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37

Immomo

38

TCL

39

Quanjude

40

Sohu

41

GREE

42

Ctrip

43

Carrefour

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44

Philips

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45

ANTA

46

LY.com

47

Didi Kuaidi

48

Phoenix Television (PHTV)

49

Decathlon

50

Marriott

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51

iQIYI.com

52

ASUS

53

GOME

54

Hisense

55

dianping.com

56

Netease

57

Watsons

58

Lifeweek

59

Letv

60

Qunar

61

Amazon

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62

Adidas

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63

HunanTV

64

RenRen

65

Li-Ning

66

Nike

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67

Lenovo

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68

UNIQLO

69

Haier

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70

361 Degrees

71

HP

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72

H&M

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73

BYD

74

ZTE

75

Douban

76

Sony

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77

Apple

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78

China Merchants Bank

79

Gap

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80

Hilton

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81

China Unicom

82

Vivo

83

Tongrentang

84

Sasa

85

eLong

86

Zuche.com

87

Bosideng

88

China Mobile

89

Tuniu

90

LinkedIn

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91

Changan

92

Spring Airlines

93

Sephora

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94

Lvmama

95

Mannings

96

Hyundai

97

Audi

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98

Volkswagen

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99

EMS

100

Southern Weekend

101

Toyota

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102

HTC

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103

China Eastern Airlines

104

Chery QQ

105

AIA

106

China Construction Bank

107

Hainan Airlines

108

Bank of China

109

China Telecom

110

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)

111

State Grid

112

Bank of Communications

113

Agricultural Bank of China

114

China Southern Airlines

115

China Gas

116

China National Petroleum Corp

With several respondents calling it a “monopoly,” what incentive does China’s largest integrated energy company have to simplify if there’s no competition? Like energy companies we’ve identified as complex in other regions, Chinese respondents bemoan the lack of transparent billing and high, unexplained prices.

117

Air China

Air China seems to have a lot going for it; it was the first airline in China to offer wi-fi, it has a fleet renewal program in the works, and there is only one fatal accident on record in its 27-year history. But none of these things seem to matter to respondents, who cite the airline’s cumbersome procedures and numerous delays as reasons for complexity.

118

Geely

Geely, an automotive manufacturer that owns both Volvo and the London Taxi Company, seems to be a victim of the paradox of choice: survey respondents report confusion from the number of car models it offers and difficulty differentiating between them. China is currently experiencing a downturn in its automotive industry, so if Geely—whose cars are often pricy— wants to attract the dwindling number of consumers, perhaps it should clarify its value proposition.

119

South Beauty

This high-end Sichuanese restaurant chain has run into some trouble this year. The self-proclaimed “Louis Vuitton” of restaurant groups had its assets frozen in response to an anti-corruption crackdown, the exact details of which are still under wraps. Consumers have taken note, explaining that all the negative news coverage, gossip surrounding its executives and public feuding with other prominent Chinese figures contributes to the brand’s complexity.

120

New China Life

You might notice a theme among the final five brands in the China Simplicity Index: They’re all insurance companies. Survey respondents dock points from New China Life specifically for making it difficult to file claims, with one respondent complaining that the company fails to tell customers important information until they have an urgent need for the insurance.

121

Taikang Life

Impenetrable contracts are at the root of the complexity of Taikang Life, a life and health insurance company based in Beijing. This year, Taikang has reportedly been preparing for an initial public offering in the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges, so perhaps public accountability will increase the company’s transparency and simplicity.

122

Ping An Insurance

Several respondents used the word “dizzy” when referring to experiences with this insurance company. The brand also breeds suspicion, with survey respondents calling the company deceptive and overly interested in “self-protection” rather than customer service. And what customer service is in place, respondents call excessive and harassing.

123

China Life Insurance

Distrust colored many of the survey responses regarding the China Life Insurance complex. While some do acknowledge that insurance is an inherently complicated industry, the feeling about China Life is that they are using the complexity to hide underhanded operations.

124

China Pacific Insurance

Terms, conditions, rules and regulations—it’s the technicalities that make China Pacific Insurance complex, according to our respondents. “Regulations are many and complicated,” reads one typical answer. To distinguish itself from the pack at the bottom of the list, China Pacific should attempt to demystify its legalese.

125

People’s Insurance Company of China

At the very bottom of the list this year is the People’s Insurance Company of China, the only state-owned insurance company on the list. Respondents report getting lost in its heavy use of jargon and its mire of procedures and processes. Unique among the insurance companies on our list, respondents complained about issues after receiving policy payouts. “A lot of trouble when you receive insurance money,” says one survey respondent.