Chinese Table Tennis Market: Less People Doing Pioneering Work, More People Keeping It Going

　　20 years ago, a Hongshuangxi table tennis bat was enough for a fan. Nowadays, a professional fan needs two or three blades, several pieces of rubber, a fine bat bag, several table tennis balls, a fashionable satchel, a pair of professional table tennis shoes, a set of table tennis clothes, and perhaps a special mask.

　　Blades are very important for fans. Chinese consumers pay more attention to bats’ function and appearance.

　　10 years ago, Chinese people did not use to use table tennis rubber while they used to use gum plus sponge. In their eyes, the best rubber was Chinese gum plus Japanese sponge. 5 years ago, people used to check whether the gum and sponge sticked one another. Nowadays, consumers pay attention to the combinations of Chinese products, Japanese products and German products. Dealers want to sell rubbers as shavers. Chinese manufacturers want to buy high-purity rubber and other materials overseas and produce their ideal products. Foreign manufacturers want to meet Chinese consumers’ demands.

　　Strictly speaking, the current table tennis ball is not professional due to the crack of the ball. Chinese manufacturers need to master international standards of celluloid balls and try to dominate the seamless ball market.

　　Nowadays, no one uses plastic bags, nylon oxford bat bags or square satchels. Backpacks and rolling bags are more popular.

　　With the development of professional venues, no one wears leather shoes now. Light and slim table tennis shoes become popular. Chinese table tennis stars’ shoes are made with 3D measurement system and dynamic capture system.

　　Table tennis clothes become functional. They absorb moisture and release sweat. They are colorful and fashionable.

　　Table should be fashionable. Chinese consumers like tables with spray paint. European consumers like tables made of melamine. There are tables in companies, common houses, and outdoor public places.

　　Barriers made of PVC are lighter. The venues will meet the demands of TV broadcasting.

　　There are more and more specialty stores with function zones and tables for trying to play table tennis. Online stores also come into being.