Demand for overseas products in China give students abroad part-time job

A high demand for overseas luxury goods in China has laid the ground for Chinese students studying overseas to make a small business on-selling the goods to China, says an investigation from the People's Daily on Monday.

A simple search on Taobao.com, one of the most popular online shopping sites in China, shows numerous sellers listed as these 'on-sellers' or daigou, in Chinese. They live across the world, mostly in Europe, North America and Asia on-selling products like cosmetics, garments, luxury products and milk powder.

Another surprising platform in China for selling online is WeChat, unlike Taobao it is not traditionally a sales platform, but a social media platform. Already connected to friends, family and schoolmates back home in China through WeChat, Chinese students abroad can use these connections to spread the product information.

Liu Xiaomin (not real name) is an exchange student in Italy's Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and frequently sells products online. She said that at least 3 of her 10 classmates from China who study with her buy cosmetics and luxuries to on-sell back home.

The high demand for overseas luxury goods in China have opened up an opportunity for these students, many who find they can not only add to life experience, widen social circles, but also make a side income.

Liu Xiaomin says she easily makes a part-time job with the work, earning 2,500 yuan ($370) a month. Liu Zeming (not real name), a Chinese student in Germany, sells German pens and wants to make a career out of this business when he graduates.

In the Chinese student community overseas, this job is becoming a trend, and between the students they have found a way to organize a network between them.

Wang Xue (not real name) in Italy said she started on-selling because many of her friends and classmates were doing it. She was more interested in making a lifestyle of the job than making money, however, she still makes a profit from her sales.

Sending the products home must be done with discretion or the products can be taxed. To avoid this, Liu Xiaomin says the products must appear as if she personally owns them and the original packaging will be removed. Otherwise, she must use a special international express delivery company which helps send it directly to the customers. And products can only be sent one at a time so the price will be kept under 5,000 yuan to avoid any tax.