Beijing, January 29, 2024, The Europe Today: As the Chinese New Year approaches, orders for professional housecleaning services have seen a significant surge, with more consumers choosing to exchange money for time, according to data from 58.com, China’s leading online classifieds marketplace.
During the first three weeks of January 2024, orders for comprehensive housecleaning experienced a remarkable 200 percent month-on-month increase, reaching the highest level since 2021. The trend is attributed to the tradition of a thorough home cleanup as Chinese people prepare to welcome the Spring Festival, symbolizing the removal of the old to welcome the new.
Specifically, demand for window cleaning has seen a notable spike of around 300 percent month on month, while cleaning services for kitchen extractor fans have increased by approximately 100 percent during the same period, as reported by 58.com.
Among Chinese cities, Beijing recorded the highest demand for housecleaning services, followed by other first-tier cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. Geng Xinyu, head of 58.com’s household services, identified the growing demand for such services as a result of China’s expanding service sector, driven by increased consumer affluence and the growing platform economy.
In 2023, the added value of China’s service sector accounted for 54.6 percent of the country’s GDP, marking a 1.2 percentage point increase from the previous year. Retail sales of services also experienced a substantial 20 percent year-on-year growth in 2023. The trend highlights a cultural shift where consumers value time-saving solutions in their preparations for important festivals like the Chinese New Year.
