Online retail sales rise 10.8% in H1

By Yan Wanqin.

Online consumption is playing an increasingly important role in Yichang's economy. In the first half of 2026, wholesale and retail companies in Yichang recorded 4.26 billion yuan (US$628 million) in online retail sales, up 10.8 percent year on year and accounting for 17.5 percent of total retail sales.
 

Leading enterprises have played a key role in the growth.

On August 5, host Liu Hongmei brewed Caihua Maojian tea during a Douyin livestream, attracting large numbers of viewers.

The strong sales reflect the company's focus on product quality and upgrades. Yichang Tea Group has replaced traditional bag packaging with tins to better preserve freshness, said Zhang Jiayuan, a senior brand manager. The company expects to sell more than 100,000 tins of its 250-gram Wufeng Maojian tea this year, a tenfold increase in online sales.

The group has also moved some livestreaming sessions to its tea gardens for an immersive experience, attracting key influencers. Through CEO livestreams and tea master lectures, online sales rose 64 percent year on year in H1, said Gao Xianhua, head of the group's e-commerce department.

Leading enterprises including Angel Yeast and Yichang Tea Group have expanded online channels by leveraging their supply chain and warehousing advantages, inspiring smaller sellers to follow suit, according to Liu Yali, section chief of the e-commerce department of the Yichang Bureau of Commerce. Data showed that 54 firms with online sales exceeding 50 million yuan contributed 41 percent of total online sales, while 23 firms with sales over 100 million yuan accounted for 30 percent.

The local retail landscape has been further enriched by new business models.

The local supermarket chain Yasi Supermarket recorded a 30 percent online sales growth in H1, with 300 daily orders at core stores. Orders through Meituan and Taobao Flash Shopping accounted for 60 percent of the total. The company is developing a model combining online ordering with in-store pickup and repurchase, said Wu Pan, the online division manager of Yasi.

New instant-retail formats are also expanding the overall size of the market. Meituan's Xiaoxiang Supermarket, which opened this year, uses a forward-warehouse model for delivery within 30 minutes, posting monthly sales of over 30 million yuan.

"The growth of diverse online models is not replacing brick-and-mortar stores, but fostering complementarity and mutual growth," Liu Yali said, adding that the city has introduced new formats and flagship stores to enrich consumer options and stabilize retail recovery.

This growth is supported by favorable policies. In 2025, the Yichang government rolled out measures to foster e-commerce development, offering funding and incentives for business growth.

At a local SF Express station, government support had helped streamline operations. Parcel collection exceeded 2 million in 2025, with further growth expected later this year, said Hu Zihuan, head of the branch.

In the first half of 2026, Yichang's courier service volume reached 168.30 million parcels, up 6.73 percent year on year.

Wang Jing, an associate professor at China Three Gorges University, suggested integrating local specialties under a unified brand to expand national reach, combining online sales with tourism, and nurturing local livestreaming hosts to build long-term engagement.

Yang Chunyan, Liao Tianqi contributed to this story.