China's e-commerce boom continues

China’s e-commerce industry is seeing strong double-digit YoY growth, with foods and online sales of household items growing 86%, beverage sales up 72% and food sales climbing 52%, according to a new report from market research firm Nielsen. While most Chinese consumers still make online purchases via their computers, e-commerce is increasingly going mobile: restaurant and meal deliveries topped the list of purchases made via smartphone at 71%, followed by event ticket purchases (51%), beauty products (46%) and packaged groceries (45%). Technology-enabled payment systems continue to grow in popularity with 86% of respondents saying they paid for online purchases during the past six months via digital payment systems.

With shopping habit of Chinese consumers going digital, China is experiencing an online shopping boom, according to new Nielsen data.China’s e-commerce industry is witnessing strong double-digit year-on-year growth, with foods and online sales of household items growing 86%. Beverage sales also increased 72% and food sales climbing 52%.While most Chinese consumers prefer their computers to make online purchases, e-commerce is increasingly going mobile. More than half of the respondents who ordered restaurant and meal deliveries or purchased events tickets online by using their smartphone (71% and 51%, respectively). In addition, more than four-in-ten Chinese respondents who made online purchases said they purchased beauty products (46%) or packaged groceries (45%) via smartphone.The use of digital payment systems in China is extremely popular today. In the report, 86% of respondents said they paid for some online purchases during the past six months via digital payment systems. Fifty-three percent of respondents said they shopped online during the past six months with direct debit from bank account, 49% paid cash on delivery and 46% of respondents shopped with credit card.Patrick Dodd, president of Nielsen global retailer vertical, said a coherent mobile strategy should be a key innovation pillar for retailers.“The most successful strategies will be those that optimize and differentiate their mobile experience and improve the integration of their in-store and mobile services specific to the realities in each market.”