New Zealanders rank products imported from China below other imports but have noticed that Chinese imports are fast improving, according to a Massey University consumer survey.

Marketing researchers in the University’s College of Business surveyed Aucklanders on their attitudes towards imports from Australia, China, German, Japan and the United States. Japanese goods got the top rating for product performance.

The research team, led by senior marketing lecturer Dr Gurvinder Shergill (pictured), set out to investigate consumer attitudes towards products and marketing practices of different countries in order to shed more light on how consumers perceive imported products – depending on their country of origin. The study found the three common factors on which consumers evaluate imported products were quality, design and whether they were improving.

Dr Shergill says there has been little research on New Zealanders' attitudes to imported products. The researchers also wanted to compare the attitudes of consumers towards the way products from the five countries were marketed.