Chinese online shop shapes Russian e-commerce market

MOSCOW - With improving transnational logistics, the cross-border online shopping upsurge rising in China over recent years has now spread to its northern neighbor - Russia. Maria Chiscakova, a 22-year-old living in Nizhny Novgorod in western Russia who places at least one order via the internet per month, tells a convincing story as an experienced online "shopaholic."

Chiscakova began to shop overseas about three years ago at Ali Express, the cross-border online shopping unit of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. After several satisfying orders, she introduced it to her family and friends. Now they have all fallen in love with the online shop.

"I ordered a mobile phone online, and it's the best I have ever used. The headset my husband Oleg bought is also amazing. We are both surprised that it is of high quality and inexpensive at the same time," she said.