(Yicai) Jan. 9 -- The proportion of online retail sales of physical goods to total retail sales of consumer goods in China more than doubled from 2015 to 2024, according to a new report.

Online shopping accounted for 26.8 percent of all retail sales of consumer goods in 2024, compared with just 10.8 percent in 2015, according to a recent report released by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. Service retail sales rose 6.2 percent in 2024 from the previous year, while commodity retail sales climbed 3.2 percent.

Service consumption contributed 63 percent to the overall consumption growth. Digital service users stood out, with registered users for generative artificial intelligence models exceeding 600 million and for short video platforms 1 billion.

The empowerment of early digital technologies was primarily reflected in the shift of offline transactions to online completion, including e-commerce and online payments, the report said. It has gradually evolved into an integration of online and offline models, including "online ordering, in-store service," "offline experience, online sale," and "augmented reality try-ons."

In addition, the CAICT conducted an online survey focusing on digital consumption objects and methods and "AI + Consumption" from July to August last year, collecting over 25,000 valid samples. Its findings showed that 75 percent of respondents have used digital education, 60 percent have used digital healthcare, 43 percent have used online fitness, and 15 percent have used remote elderly care.

In addition, 72 percent of people aged 60 and above are willing to pay for convenient online products and services, 76 percent look forward to having more online healthcare options, and 67 percent want additional digital elderly care products and services.

Editor: Martin Kadiev