Hi guys, haven't been here for a while. I'm really surprised by this purchase, tbh. But I would like to share some info I have.
Suning is from Jiangsu province. I worked there for 2 years, and would say it's the best region I like in China.
Jiangsu province, Zhejiang province and Shanghai together constitute Yangtze River Delta Zone, which is the most thriving and prosperous region in China. On the disposable income ranking of all cities in China, 4 out of top 5 cities are from this region. And it has probably the smallest gap between the towns/villages and urban cities as compared to other regions across China, in terms of income and living standard. What this translates into? Purchase power - as proven by statistics showing them always being Top 1 on the online purchase ranking.
Also this region is more business friendly and less bureaucratic in general. So if you Do want to develop a fan base in China, this is definitely a good starting point.