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October 28, 2020

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COVID-19 has changed how Wuhan shops

Insurance saleswoman Chai Hua gave up her job and embarked on a new career as a group-purchase manager in April, when Wuhan, the central Chinese city that was hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic, lifted its outbound restrictions after 76 days of lockdown.

The strict lockdown, which banned most outdoor activities at the height of the outbreak, has left a profound mark on the lifestyles of locals. Even when life returned to normal as the epidemic ebbed, the habits of ordering daily commodities through WeChat groups continued among many residents of Chai’s community.

Chai’s WeChat group has 315 members, most of whom live in the same neighborhood. She posts links of products on promotion every morning, and goods ordered will be delivered to Chai’s warehouse, which was renovated from a garage, the next day.

The strong discounts Chai offers helped her obtain many loyal customers. In her group, potatoes are sold at 2 yuan per kg (US$0.30) and 2 kilograms of shrimp can be purchased at 100 yuan, about half the market price.

The Yulanyuan community where Chai lives is close to two universities, and many residents are university staff and retired workers. “There are many elderly people with mobility restrictions in the community. Given that the supermarket is far away, purchasing vegetables here is my first choice,” said Jin Tingzhi, a retired professor of Wuhan University of Technology.

Chai volunteered to help her community in group purchasing during the lockdown. After traffic restrictions were lifted, she decided to make it her full-time job.

“Many people still prefer to buy vegetables and fruits from me for health concerns after the lockdown, and I also want to spend more time with my 13-year-old son, so I decided to quit the job at the insurance company,” she said.

“Though I make less than before, I enjoy my new job and have a strong sense of accomplishment,” said Chai.

According to Dai Shanhui, CEO of Shixianghui, a group purchase platform Chai often uses, the platform now covers about 4,000 communities in Wuhan, a sharp increase from just 60 before the epidemic.

“Group purchasing has been more recognized after the COVID-19 outbreak for its convenience, prices and touchless delivery,” said Dai. “We expect it to further grow this year.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has cast a shadow on the global economy, has also given birth to new opportunities and business forms, with emerging occupations springing up.

After a daily meeting at 9am, Chen Hui led his team to visit a fruit store in Huangshi, close to Wuhan.

The 23-year-old is an online store planner, a new profession amid the epidemic, as the citywide lockdown hampered the traditional offline trade between stores and customers and forced shops to go online.

“We mainly set up online selling platforms for offline stores so they could expand their sales with online orders and attract more guests by issuing coupons,” said Chen.




 

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