Alibaba hiring elderly shoppers to test Taobao

Alibaba is recruiting senior citizens to help identify problems in products and services for the elderly on Taobao, the online marketplace.

A job advertisement posted online on Tuesday showed the e-commerce giant is looking for two "senior user research specialists" for its headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

They will be responsible for research into elderly people's views about Taobao though discussions and questionnaires.

Candidates should be over 60, good with people and have experience in online shopping, according to the ad. It said influence among middle-aged groups, such as square dancing teams and neighborhood committees, would be an advantage.

The annual salary is between 350,000 yuan and 400,000 yuan ($54,390 and $62,60).

Alibaba said it has received many resumes in response to the ad.

A 65-year-old woman surnamed Li told Qianjiang Evening News she plans to apply soon.

"I've used Taobao for 10 years, including for clothes, food and daily necessities," she said. "I've also taught many other elderly people how to shop online."