A year-end review on spending habits released by Alipay, China's largest online payment platform, is offering unprecedented insight into consumer habits of the country's 668 million internet shoppers.
In 2015, people in Shanghai were China's most generous online spenders, and braised chicken with rice (黃燜雞米飯) was the favorite dish.
Fujian ranked fifth nationwide on the spending list with average individual spending of RMB 57,548, following Shanghai (RMB 104,155) Zhejiang (RMB 94,192), Beijing (86,542) and Jiangsu (RMB 59,415).
Xiamen’s average individual spending reached RMB 73,332 in 2015, taking the lead in Fujian Province and 10th place nationwide. Average individual spending was only RMB 1,065 in 2004 in Xiamen.
Notable facts in year-end review on spending habits for 2015:
1. The most notable change for Chinese buyers was that cellphones were used for 65 percent of the money exchanged on Alipay in 2015, up 15.8 percent from 2014.
2. Ordering take-out food has becomes a normal option for consumers in 2015, and Xiamen is among the cities with the largest number of orders for take-out food. Students from Jimei University were named in the list of consumers who like ordering take-out food most.
3. Men in Zhangzhou topped the list of most generous "red envelope" givers with average lucky money gifts of RMB 1,477, followed by Hangzhou (RMB 1,432) and Putian (1,363).
4. The most mobile-friendly spenders live in the less developed western China. Tibetans conducted 83.3 percent of their Alipay transactions via mobile, the highest in the country.
5. The average individual price for products bought overseas was 844 yuan; 72 percent of consumers who shopped overseas via Alibaba were female.
