Live-streaming to help business in China's small commodity hub

An Indian businessman checks the purchase list at the international shopping mall in Yiwu, a city specialized in small goods trade in east China's Zhejiang Province. Zhejiang's trade with countries and regions related to China's Belt and Road Initiative reached 149.89 billion yuan (23.68 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of the launch. (Xinhua/Tan Jin) (ry)

An Indian businessman checks the purchase list at the international shopping mall in Yiwu, a city specialized in small goods trade in east China's Zhejiang Province. Zhejiang's trade with countries and regions related to China's Belt and Road Initiative reached 149.89 billion yuan (23.68 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of the launch. (Xinhua/Tan Jin) (ry)

Published Feb 22, 2020

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HANGZHOU - Live streaming is expected to help boost business in the world's leading small commodities market in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Merchants at Yiwu International Trade Market will be trading next week via live streaming on China's e-commerce platform Taobao amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to Taobao on Friday.

Selling goods through Taobao live streaming has become a trendy practice. At present, more than 3,000 merchants at the market have begun selling their commodities through live streaming to customers from around the world.

Merchant Huang Xianping started selling products via online broadcasting on Thursday. On messaging app WeChat, she wrote, "Livestreaming services provided by Taobao will definitely bring new opportunities to us merchants."

Through the live streaming rooms, customers can not only see the products but also save on travel expenses. In addition, selling goods through live streaming platforms is more efficient for merchants.

According to Taobao, since February, the number of new broadcasters has increased tenfold compared to the same period of January. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 people visit the learning platform "Taobao University" to improve their live streaming skills on a daily basis.

On Feb. 25, Taobao will open a free online course to help merchants learn about online operations.

Dubbed as "the world's supermarket," Yiwu receives more than 550,000 overseas buyers and sells commodities to more than 210 countries and regions every year. It is home to the world's leading small commodities market. In 2019, there were more than 1.4 million non-natives and 15,000 overseas businesspeople in Yiwu.

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