ABSTRACT
Wealtll is put into a number of kinds of durable consumer goods. The object of choice will be determined by such considerations as: (a) the prestige they confer; (b) their convertibility into cash and ability to retain their original value; (c) their use
The and the pleasure they afford. Some goods combine all these c11aracteristics. In buying expensive goods there is a tendency to regard purely pleasurable goods as an extravagance. There is a reluctance to spend more than is absolutely necessary on goods which are only for use. In seeking goods for prestige, the types of goods desired are generally those giving status in the eyes of the Chinese community. They do not necessarily give such status in the eyes of the western community. Even when this fact is recognized, it is usually not regarded as important. Prestige goods are, in a sense, a form of investment because by adding to status and conveying the idea of wealth they inspire confidence in others. They can thus enhance business opportunities. Prestige goods might be purchased when business is bad, for as a Chinese saying emphasizes: 'When business is bad, paint the counter.'
