Barbie, the slender symbol of American consumerism, has shut up shop in Shanghai just two years after opening her biggest flagship store there.

　　芭比(Barbie)——美國式消費主義纖巧的象征——關(guān)閉了在上海的門店，這家全球最大芭比旗艦店只營業(yè)了兩年。

　　Mattel, owner of the doll brand, said the bright pink, six-storey store had served its purpose of building brand awareness in China. But analysts say the investment failed because Mattel had not adjusted to the local market.

　　該玩偶品牌所有者美泰公司(Mattel)表示，這家粉紅色、占據(jù)6層空間的店鋪，起到了在中國樹立品牌知名度的作用。但分析師表示，由于美泰在中國市場水土不服，導致了這項投資失敗。

　　The withdrawal comes on the heels of store closures in China by US retailers Home Depot and Best Buy, which both struggled to crack the local market.

　　芭比的撤退緊隨家得寶(Home Depot)和百思買(Best Buy)之后——這兩家美國零售商由于打不開市場，雙雙關(guān)閉了在中國的門店。

　　The misfortunes of the US brands are surprising since the Chinese government has made boosting domestic consumption a top policy priority. Retail sales also continue to grow strongly, at more than 18 per cent in 2010 from a year earlier.

　　這些美國品牌的不走運令人驚訝，因為中國政府已把擴大內(nèi)需列為首要政策。社會零售額也在強勁地持續(xù)增長，在2010年增幅超過了18%。

　　"None of the three companies – Best Buy, Home Depot or Barbie – have catered to local consumer preferences and habits enough,” said Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group.

　　“這三家公司——百思買、家得寶和芭比——都不夠迎合本地消費者的偏好和習慣。”中國市場研究集團(China Market Research)董事總經(jīng)理雷小山(Shaun Rein)表示。

　　"In Barbie’s case, they chose the wrong location [for the flagship store] and they offered sexy clothes designed by Patricia Fields of Sex and the City fame when young Chinese women tend to prefer cute designs like Hello Kitty.”

　　“拿芭比來說，他們選擇了錯誤的地點（開設(shè)旗艦店），供應(yīng)因《欲望都市》而走紅的帕特里夏·菲爾茲(Patricia Fields)設(shè)計的性感服裝，而中國年輕女性往往偏愛像Hello Kitty這種可愛的設(shè)計。”

　　Many Western brands, such as Apple, Nike, LVMH and Estée Lauder, have successful local operations in China and have become hugely profitable.

　　許多西方品牌在中國都經(jīng)營得很成功，非常賺錢，比如蘋果(Apple)、耐克(Nike)、路威酩軒(LVMH)和雅詩蘭黛(Estée Lauder)。

　　As well as having the world’s biggest collection of Barbie dolls and expensive Barbie-themed clothing, the store on the chic Huaihai Road boasted a beauty salon and restaurant where young Chinese could get made up like Barbie and eat her favourite food.

　　芭比上海旗艦店地處繁華的淮海路，除了供應(yīng)世界上最齊全的芭比玩偶和昂貴的芭比服裝，還設(shè)有美容沙龍和餐廳，年輕的中國顧客可以在這里化裝成芭比，享用芭比喜愛的食物。

　　When the store opened with great fanfare in March 2009, Mattel said it would be the “ultimate destination for young girls who call Barbie a best friend”.

　　 2009年3月芭比上海旗艦店盛大開張之時，美泰公司曾表示，這家旗艦店將成為“把芭比當作最好朋友的年輕女孩的終極目的地”。

　　On Monday, Mattel said the closure was “mainly due to a strategy change” in China and the company “continues to be committed to developing the Barbie brand in China”.

　　本周一美泰表示，關(guān)閉芭比上海旗艦店“主要是由于戰(zhàn)略調(diào)整”，美泰“將繼續(xù)致力于在中國推廣芭比品牌”。

　　Analysts said Barbie, Best Buy and Home Depot were seen by consumers as expensive in a very price-sensitive market.

　　分析師稱，中國消費者認為芭比、百思買和家得寶都太昂貴，而這里是一個對價格極其敏感的市場。