E-commerce helps Dong'e county boost rural vitalization

Dong'e county – administered by the prefecture-level city of Liaocheng in East China's Shandong province – is taking full advantage of the booming e-commerce industry to promote its rural vitalization and increase people's incomes.

With the help of platforms like JD, Taobao, Douyin and Pinduoduo, the county has seen a significant increase in brand awareness and sales.

Some packets go on show of Dong'e Ejiao, a gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine, to improve blood circulation and boost energy levels. [Photo by Hou Changming for chinadaily.com.cn]

To further expand its marketing channels, the county has formed the Yellow River E-commerce Cultural Tourism Alliance, combining local tourism resources with e-commerce. The "tourism + E-commerce" model is said to have proven very successful in promoting local culture and products.

The county has also focused on talent development by providing online and on-site training for e-commerce professionals.

Additionally, efforts have been made to strengthen the logistics system, ensuring efficient delivery of goods throughout the area.

Thanks to these measures, specialty agricultural products like donkey-hide gelatin, yellow river carp, strawberries and fried fish have gained popularity among live streamers and have made their way into the top agricultural E-commerce counties in the country.

In the first half of this year alone, Dong'e county generated 1.42 billion yuan ($198 million) in E-commerce sales, a 70.7 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Moreover, the number of online retail stores reached 4,984, employing 6,440 people. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)