Luxury giants tap into mainland market

Retailers cater to Chinese customers' ever-increasing brand awareness, Zhao Xu reports

Take a stroll around one of Beijing's big shopping malls, especially those in the "stand-alone' or relatively "high-end" brackets, and unless you're a seasoned shopper, you may be surprised by the level of privacy available.

The shops are largely empty, especially on weekdays, and host a mere smattering of visitors who occasionally find themselves making slightly awkward eye contact with a sales assistant who has clearly been waiting for a customer.