Isavant. Can't draw comparisons to the US...
I live in rural Philippines (North Central Luzon) and I imagine that my area is similar to rural China. My town has a population of 150,000 and we have a total of 5 ATMs. The nearest convenience store (7-11) is about 20 miles away. Many things that we take for granted in the US are unheard of here. Most people rely on bicycle or motorcycle driven public transportation (similar to the rickshaws of China) or jeepneys. Because of this, most shopping is done at very small mom-and-pop-type stores (Sari-Sari stores) which are within walking distance and you select items through a barred window and the clerk inside sells you the item. People here love the idea of shopping at a modern market where you can choose between different items and prices are clearly marked on the item. We have two such stores downtown but these are not convenient for many shoppers and when shopping at one of these stores be prepared for long lines and a slow shopping process (one has a price scanner but most items aren't printed correctly so the poor cashier has to enter item codes by hand). If something like a convenience store were close by it would be swamped with customers. Because of this, I feel that the estimates of 6,000 stores/province are very realistic--people will shop at them if they are within walking distance and that fact creates an enormous demand for such stores. I see Good Life as a great idea for rural China and think it would be great for the Philippines also. The keys to success would be to keep prices reasonable and be located close to customers.
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