Zhong Haihui, a 40-year-old farmer, was one of the first people in Hunan province to start selling his fruits through live streaming. Now he’s just one of many live streamers in rural China doing the same, reaching millions of customers from across the country on short video app Kuaishou and e-commerce App Taobao.
Zhong is more talkative and energetic when he’s chatting to his followers online. Chubby and smiling like a Buddha, he refers to himself as “Uncle,'' a nickname that his viewers gladly use. Zhong’s live streaming gear consists of an iPhone 6, a small tripod and a power bank in his pocket.
He also cordially calls his viewers “bao bao” -- literally meaning “baby” in Chinese. It’s a common way Taobao live streaming hosts address their viewers to appear friendly and build rapport.
Zhong promotes his tasty, fresh fruit, points his camera at the surrounding mountains, and occasionally hums a random tune or asks viewers if they’ve eaten.
Born and raised in the town, Zhong worked at a gas station and in a factory before opening an e-commerce shop on Taobao in 2011. Selling local farm products, his sales didn’t take off until late-2017, when he discovered live streaming. That’s because Apps in China tend to do everything. It’s normal to shop in a short video app like Kuaishou, or watch live streams in a shopping App like Taobao.