Alibaba's rural service centres, operated by independent local entrepreneurs represent the company's drive to spread e-commerce and online financial services beyond China's big, relatively wealthy cities. The centres provide internet access and training to consumers and businesses, helping them buy and sell through Alibaba's online marketplaces.
Several initiatives of Alibaba that have been gaining traction in the countryside, includes the development of a channel for the online sale of products from provinces including Shandong, Guizhou and Shaanxi.
Alibaba has also announced the launch of a new rural initiative called 'smart county' through which Alibaba's cloud computing arm, Alibaba Cloud, and Ant Financial will provide technical support to local governments as well as access to public services through Ant's Alipay super app. (NA)
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India