Shanghai recently announced the launch of the 2024 Shanghai Online Shopping Season running from Nov 1 to Dec 31, aimed at supporting e-commerce platforms with special discounts and promotions in the city. Through a diverse range of activities, the initiative kicked off on Oct 31 at Hongqiao MixC in the city's Minhang district.

It seeks to cater to the varied consumption needs of residents, stimulate market vitality and promote consumer upgrading, according to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

Several major e-commerce platforms are offering Shanghai-specific promotions. These platforms have set up dedicated Shanghai online shopping sections within their apps, featuring a curated selection of specialty products in categories such as daily necessities, cosmetics, food and clothing.

What's more, they've introduced exclusive Shanghai promotions, distributing Shanghai online shopping vouchers in various forms to help drive traffic and boost sales for Shanghai merchants on their platforms.

The initial batch of 10 e-commerce platforms, including Meituan, Ele.me, JD.com, Freshippo, Dewu and Dingdong, have already launched Shanghai-specific promotional activities, with more platforms set to follow.

Local retail giant the Bailian Group has also put forward a series of promotions through its online and offline outlets.

During the launch ceremony, the Big Data Laboratory of Consumer Market at local Fudan University unveiled a report on online consumption trends.

It found that Shanghai ranked among the top cities nationwide in terms of total online retail sales and livestreaming retail sales from January to September.

Moreover, the city's livestreaming e-commerce and new retail sectors are driving consumer growth, with rapid expansion seen in the service industry, particularly in the catering and cultural tourism sectors.