This year’s Taobao Maker Festival was China’s first ever large-scale fantasy scavenger hunt. At this year’s festival, it was unveiled that more than 100 new professions have been created within this blossoming e-commerce ecosystem. The nine-day event, which concluded on July 25th, was an immersive, interactive experience that showcased the creativity of the country’s young innovators and reflected the vibrant prospects of the digital economy. Currently more than 200,000 merchants on Taobao specialize in a wide range of niche areas. Creative young people are discovering new employment opportunities in different categories, functions, and skillsets across Taobao’s flourishing digital ecosystem. Examples of the new professions include:
- Livestreaming, from hosts and their agents to live broadcast studio designers, merchandise selectors, livestream technicians and more
- Specialist doll repairers who help restore and preserve childhood memories
- Artists who transform old electronic devices into works of art
- Food tasters who create vicarious eating experiences with their honest evaluations
Whether incubating new professions or introducing consumers to novel products, Taobao’s constant evolution is due to its popularity among young entrepreneurs. The number of new merchants from the post-00s generation grew 3.5 times over the past three years. By bringing their creativity, passion, and knowledge of new lifestyle trends to Taobao, these young sellers have transformed their interests and passion into thriving businesses that showcase the ingenuity of China’s new generation.
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