Say it with flowers, but now say it online

Sample flowers from the Floral Keys and Huadian Shijian.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Most current users female

About 80 percent of Huadian Shijian's current users are female, which is in line with the company's original plan. What they had not foreseen is the rapid growth of users.

Huadian Shijian's first bunch of flowers went online in July last year. Its turnover had surged by 10 times by the end of April, without any promotions of its services. The monthly service has received the most repeat orders. The word-of-mouth effect is something that is helping with the growth, according to Zhu.

The contribution of women consumers is in line with findings from market consultancy Mintel's 2016 China Consumer Trend Report. With women increasingly independent in their personal and financial lives, Chinese women are creating a "Women Only" market, the report finds.

"Brands are paying more attention to female preferences and needs in both product development and in the way in which they communicate to and with women," it said.

It is not just happening in the beauty and fashion sectors, but this newfound female perspective covers a much broader market scope that capitalizes on the growing influence of women in China. There have been a number of services emerging that cater to women's specific needs.

When it comes to spending habits, women are considered to be more open to embracing new lifestyles and are more aspirational in terms of trying new products and experiences, while men are more likely to stick to what they know.

"Customized products and services and targeted communications for female consumers will continue to be welcomed in China. At the same time, the market is waiting to see the rise of brands that are not only created for women but also owned by women," said Philix Liu, Mintel's APAC Trends analyst.

"In 2016 we will continue to see lucrative opportunities for brands to target female consumers with ever-increasing spending power to pursue their interests. This is not merely referring to catering to women's specific needs, but is also calling for brands to show their understanding, appreciation and support for the rising "she-economy", the analyst added.