How e-commerce changes lives in rural China
Concerns over fake goods have also prompted some people to turn to online shopping.
Like several of her rural peers, Wang Xia, a farmer from Houtuan village in Shouguang city of Shandong province is reaping the rewards of China’s rapidly expanding rural e-commerce.
“I buy several of my daily necessities, clothing, fertilisers and even home appliances online. Not only is online shopping convenient, but also cheaper. In addition, I do not have to make long, trips to shopping malls,” she said.
E-commerce is not only helping to revitalise Chinese rural villages, home to half the population, but also opening the doors to a huge market for companies.
Wang’s family makes a living growing tomatoes in a 2,666 square-metre farm in the village and earned about 100,000 yuan (HK$118,000) last year. She purchased a new television set last month on Taobao, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s online shopping platform and made a single transaction of more than 5,000 yuan in a month.
Alibaba, which started its Rural Taobao strategy in late 2014 has set up 16,000 village-level and 380 county-level service centres to support its e-commerce activities and provide delivery services in rural areas. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
Villagers like Wang can pick up goods they buy online at the nearest service centre which also sells products pre-ordered from merchants.