Year of Snake helping 'scale' up sales

A shopper browses goods for Spring Festival at a store in Jiaozuo, Henan province. CHENG QUAN/FOR CHINA DAILY As the Year of the Snake approaches, sales of products with serpentine elements have witnessed explosive growth on major e-commerce platforms, which experts said showcases not only the strong resonance of traditional Chinese culture among shoppers, but also the vitality of the country's consumer market. Jason Yu, managing director and vice-executive president of CTR Media Convergence Institute, said the purchasing frenzy of zodiac-related products ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival holiday demonstrates Chinese consumers' aspiration for a better life in the new year. Yu said China's Generation Z shoppers — those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s — are displaying a growing sense of national pride and confidence in Chinese culture, and snake-themed products weaving traditional Chinese cultural elements into their modern design are gaining traction among younger consumers. The cultural connotations that the Chinese zodiac carries have stimulated people's passion for buying ahead of the long holiday, and this shopping surge is crucial for expanding domestic demand and promoting recovery of the consumer market amid downward economic pressure, Hong said.