Chinese personal shoppers have created a new type of retail store in Australia

It might seem unlikely that there’s stores in Australia, selling only a small range of products, at prices significantly higher than supermarkets, yet turning over millions of dollars each year. But an increase in stores catering to personal shoppers, called daigou, are growing in the Australian retail scene.

As demand for Australian products increases, daigou stores allow Chinese shoppers to send goods to China. One public relation agency estimated there are between 1,200 to 1,600 small daigou stores that offer “pack and send” services in Australia. Until now, these businesses were fragmented and operated independently.

However, the first Daigou retailer recently listed on the ASX, AuMake. The retailer has seven stores in Sydney and plans for more.

Daigou stores are emerging in response to the demands of a burgeoning Chinese middle-class and their hunger for Australian brands. By 2022, 76% of China’s urban population will be considered middle-class. Read more

Gary Mortimer - The Conversation - 6 Nov 2017