Q: Speaking of the internet, have the online shopping festivals been successful? And are the things people buy on the internet different?
A: Well the development of online shopping really just gave people more reason and more channels to spend more money on more things. According to the latest figures released by China's e-commerce giant Alibaba, during its New Year's shopping festival, a total of 2.1 billion items of merchandise were sold. And here's another significant number, 70% of all sales during the period were done through mobile. And new trends are definitely emerging. While China's urban shoppers are buying more and more farm produce and specialties such as fermented meat and dried Chinese dates, the country's rural residents have increasingly developed a taste for imported products and international brands. Chilean wine and Japanese skincare products are two sought-after purchases. And as we know, the Spring Festival is also a time for adult children to show love and appreciation for their aging elderly parents. The top gifts this year for elderly parents are cell phones, But we're not talking about iPhone sixes here, but no-frills phones designed specifically for seniors and there's also accessories for square-dancing, one of if not the most popular past-time for millions of Chinese grandmas..and a few grandpas too. So the take-away should be this The gifts matter, not for how much money they cost, but for the love they represent.
