Surge in online demand for mahjong machines

The call to stay put than return home for Chinese New Year during the pandemic has boosted sales of some goods — such as mahjong machines — to make staycations more joyful, according to a report from e-commerce site Taobao.

Meanwhile, a digital way of bainian, the Chinese custom of visiting family members and friends at this time of year, is emerging on e-commerce platforms with more people buying gifts online for families far away.

Spring Festival is a time for Chinese people to enjoy sitting down to eat with relatives and friends and playing mahjong is popular after the meal is over.

This year, due to the pandemic, the government is encouraging migrant workers to stay in their cities rather than returning home for the festival. That has triggered a demand for mahjong machines, a New Year favorite whose daily sales have increased by more than 130 percent compared with last year.

Taobao found sales to be highest in southwest China’s Chongqing and Sichuan Province, and east China’s Zhejiang Province.

According to a report on Jiemian.com, Jiang Ran, who works at manufacturer Treyo in Hangzhou’s Xiaoshan Economic and Technological Development Zone, production can hardly keep up with demand. 

Jiang said the zone's mahjong machine makers were stocking up but the closure of some factories for the holiday and logistical challenges could cause problems. 

Treyo, the maker of the first fully automatic machine on the Chinese mainland, has developed products which are light, foldable and quiet and feature the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and voice control. Tmall and Xiaomi are other brands that have developed mahjong machine products.

Jiang said Treyo's machines were selling well in the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Foreigners are also taking an interest, with sales on Tmall’s overseas section double that of last year. Most buyers are from Singapore, Australia, the US and Canada.