Chinese to become world's top online shoppers

Chinese are more likely to shop online than consumers from any other country, according to the latest survey by the International Post Corporation, a Brussels-headquartered association on postal services.

In the second annual study of 24,000 respondents in 26 markets across North America, the Asia-Pacific and Europe, the IPC found that 36 per cent of Chinese buy from digital sites at least once a week, a frequency far outstripping peer buyers, People's Daily reported.

China is also the most popular market for consumers around the world to shop from, accounting for 26 per cent of the most recent cross-border purchases, followed by the US with 16 per cent, Germany's 15 per cent and the UK 15 per cent.

Purchases from China are more popular with younger people and women, while purchases from Germany receive warmer welcome by men and the elderly, the international study found.

Online marketplaces such as Amazon.com Inc, eBay Inc and Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd were the most sought-after avenues for buyers from almost all countries, accounting for around two-thirds of all cross-border purchases, the study said.

China was the overall favoured market for Europeans, but notable differences were seen in Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria or Switzerland where customers mainly bought from neighbouring countries with a shared language.

Meanwhile, the US and China were the main markets cross-border shoppers bought from in the Asia-Pacific region and in Canada.

--IANS

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