Shopping on the Internet is becoming more and more commonplace in China, with over one quarter of Internet users in the country now shopping online, and with an average expenditure of 563 yuan, or roughly US$70.

The Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News quoted statistics from domestic auction website taobao.com, showing that over 30 million Internet users have registered on the website and made use of its facilities.

The website's overall trade volume in 2006 has reached 16.9 billion yuan, more than US$2 billion.

The "hottest" items on the website are mobile phones, cosmetic products and laptops. Over 40 million cosmetic products and 2.2 million mobile phones have been sold via the website in 2006.

Most of the online shoppers in China are well-educated young people, born in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The report analyses that this generation will have even greater influence in the trends of consumption over the next five to 10 years.

In 2006, the number of Internet users in China reached 123 million.

(CRI January 19, 2007)