Cousin turns proxy shopper

I could have never imagined that my cousin would one day sell jewelry through her WeChat account and make a grand success of it. The business venture changed her life. It also set a record of sorts in our extended family - none of my relatives has ever engaged in business before.

Five years ago, she quit her job and decided to start a business. First, she opened an online store on Alibaba's e-marketplace Taobao. She sold clothes and luxury products with ample help from her best friend in France.

The latter would chose products and have them shipped to China. My cousin would then peddle them via Taobao.