More females in 3rd-tier cities shopping online: survey

Shanghai (CNS) -- Females in China's third-tier cities are more interested than ever in online shopping, a survey shows.

The trend will likely surpass first and second-tier cities, as indicated by the survey on Chinese female shopping behavior released by the MEC Media Agency on Tuesday.

The survey collected 3,800 samples in 583 Chinese cities at all three levels.

In general, 44 percent of females in first and second-tier cities shop online, prevailing over the 23 percent in third-tier spots. Yet average annual spending on online shopping didn't vary that much between the groups, at 2,096 yuan in first and second-tier cities to 1,757 yuan in third-tier.

The group with the most potential is relatively younger, ranging mainly from 20 to 29 years old in third-tier cities, rather than 20 to 39 in the other two groups. The age orientation implies greater consumptive power in the future, according to the survey.

Their favorite targets are attire, shoes and bags, followed by skin care, cosmetics, perfumes and daily necessities, the survey shows.