China's online florist market is a 'blooming' sector

World
Europe

02:31

At a shipping center run by e-florist platform, Hualijia, workers are sorting out branches of flowers.

These flowers are packed and put in thermal bags before being delivered to the clients in the Beijing-Tianjin and Hebei area.

"Fresh flowers used to be a so-called gift consumption, in an economic sense. Now, they have become an item purchased on daily basis. In the past, you only needed flowers for weddings. But now, things have changed," said Wu Yongchang, a manager of online platform In Flower House.

The online platforms have boosted the demand for flowers, therefore pushing the prices down.

China's e-florist market reached 23.5 billion yuan in 2017. /CGTN Photo

Most of the flowers are grown in the nation's southern provinces. The branches travel thousands of kilometers to northern cities like Beijing and are freshly delivered within two to three days.

"It's just like you eat every day and drink with your best friends. I believe that one day when society changes, having flowers every day will be the norm," said Yang.

For white-collar workers living in big cities, the scent of plants can perhaps ease their stress. Dong Jing likes to use flowers to decorate her office.

"The price is reasonable, and the quality is consistent. When I and my colleagues first ordered flowers online, we didn't expect this could turn into a habit," said Dong.

Dong said e-florists are marketing a lifestyle through what they are providing, which was before seen by many as an up-scale purchase. She believes that through these small steps, she could pursue a more fulfilling and higher standard of living.