After IFA Buzz: What Really Matters for Global Expansion

Let me share something. IFA2026 does look lively indeed, with over 1,900 brands and an expected 220,000 attendees. Chinese manufacturers have shifted from supporting roles to leading ones, showcasing innovations like cleaning robots that climb stairs, ovens that recognize ingredients, and liquid-cooled wireless charging.

However, a manufacturer representative who has exhibited for six consecutive years said at the venue that the booths were crowded with compatriots, while there were few foreign clients. The competition among peers is too fierce, making it hard to make money.

This might not sound pleasant, but it's very real. The most common mistake in hardware going global is treating trade shows as sales channels and traffic as orders. China's supply chain can bring a product from design to mass production quickly, but European customers still require local sales, after-sales service, compliance, channel rebates, and content storytelling. These things cannot be fixed by a single exhibition appearance.

After the hype, what really determines success is team execution. Turning one-time exposure into a repeatable order process, and turning samples into scenarios users are willing to pay for, relies on these localization capabilities.

Next time they go to IFA, Chinese manufacturers should focus more on building localized teams.