E-commerce deals

On social media platform Xiaohongshu users share detailed shopping guides, including how to assemble candy boxes using different candies and chocolates wrapped in colorful paper.

Savvy young people compare prices and products, making online shopping more attractive and fun. Even those who go to brick-and-mortar shops use their phones to check prices and negotiate with the shopkeepers.

However, online shopping is not always cheaper. For example, WoWo milk candies cost about 19 to 21 yuan per 500 grams on Taobao.

Liu sells them for 18 yuan in her shop, with possible discounts for bulk purchases.

"Online shopping does impact us because they offer more variety, and it's more convenient to shop directly on your smartphone with a quick delivery," Liu said.

To compete with e-commerce, candy shops are offering better services, such as promising "10 times the compensation for any fake product", free candy box packaging, and free home delivery. Refunds were even offered for postponed weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonetheless, competition is fierce.

Some shop owners, who once charged less than 1 yuan for the boxes the candy comes in, are now giving them away. Once one shop starts giving away the boxes, others are forced to follow. The loss is recouped by slightly increasing the price of the candies.

Qiu is one of those who prefers buying candy in a store.

"Many online gift boxes look flashy but don't have as many varieties as they seem. It's more reliable to buy offline, where I can see and touch the products," she said.