Chinese lonely hearts shop for sweethearts online

A screenshot from Taobao.com

Discounted fancy clothes, sparkling jewelry and high-end handbags have failed to cheer up 22-year-old Fu Jie from south China's Hainan Province ahead of Singles' Day on Tuesday, a holiday marked by an annual national shopping spree.

Like most lonely hearts, what the lovelorn young woman needs most on "Double Eleven Day" is a lover.

And on Taobao, China's "you-name-it-we-have-it" online shopping giant, there are plenty of "lovers" in store.

A real-life version of the science-fiction film "Her," which depicts a lonely man falling in love with his computer operating system, is happening in China as "virtual lover rental" businesses gain popularity on Chinese e-commerce websites.

Customers can rent a girlfriend or boyfriend for a few days to offer sweet words, lend a patient ear, and other custom-made services, mostly through messaging platforms such as Tencent's QQ and WeChat.

"It's much safer to have a virtual boyfriend, and emotional care and support mean more to me than physical company at present," Fu said.

It costs about 20 yuan (3.27 U.S. dollars) a day to rent a virtual girlfriend or boyfriend, who are categorized into different types according to their personalities and characteristics, such as cuteness, maturity, optimism and gentleness, to cater to various customer tastes. The photos listed on the online storefront depict cartoons or movie stars out of privacy concerns.

A virtual girlfriend, also called a "girlfriend in the cellphone," may call in the morning, chat online all day listening to a customer's stories and secrets, offer comfort or encouragement, and say goodnight before bedtime. Conversation via cellphone may require additional fees.

There are roughly 350 online stores with over 5,000 virtual girlfriends or boyfriends offering virtual lover services on Taobao. A popular online store named "Touching You" has served over 4,000 lonely hearts since it went into business in mid-August, with daily orders serving 40 to 50 customers.

Qualified virtual lovers should have a sweet voice, be an empathetic listener and talker, and sometimes a good singer, according to Xiaolu, owner of the store, which offers 40 virtual girlfriends and 40 boyfriends.

Her store rolled out a package service to mark Singles' Day and even offers English, French, and Japanese language chatting services.

"I don't do it for money, just for fun. You can listen to different people's stories, and sometimes it also has healing effects on myself," said a virtual girlfriend nicknamed "Namei."

Social-networking and emotional support demands have surged in recent years with the rise of the middle class and the Internet in China. Members of the Internet-savvy post-80s generation, most of whom grew up in one-child families, tend to seek understanding, encouragement and companionship from strangers online.

Companies have rushed to cash in on the generation's loneliness. In addition to virtual lover services, blind dating apps such as Momo have gained wide popularity among young people. Momo, a Tinder-like app, is reported to be preparing for an IPO in the United States, with more than 50 million active users.

However, the virtual lover business has raised concerns over online and offline pornography. Taobao started screening searches for virtual lovers in late October, but the stores are still out there.

"The demand is there. People nowadays are facing multiple pressures from work, life and family, and it is an alternative to ease anxiety," said Yang Yin, a visiting psychological consultant with Renmin University of China.

But Yang cautioned that over-indulgence in virtual relationships may hamper real-life interpersonal relations.

"The loneliness might be eased for a while thanks to the virtual lover, but when the deal ends, it is likely to grow stronger. Anyway, 'Her' is not a real her," Yang added.