Pandemic strengthens China’s platforms as infrastructure providers
After strict lockdown measures went into place in China, nearly all commercial activity shifted online. E-commerce expanded its reach in the form of rural live-streaming (村播): farmers-turned-online-hosts selling fresh produce and the nostalgia of the countryside to tens of millions of urban consumers glued to their smartphones at home.
The exchange is simple. Using apps like Taobao or JD.com, farmers set up and manage personal profiles and online stores. Users can make purchases while watching and gratification is speedy, with packages at the door within 48 hours.
