BEIJING, Dec 6 (DNA): E-commerce helps Pakistan salt rock open the Chinese market, Gwadar Pro reported on Monday. “Himalayan salt rock from Pakistan is becoming known to a growing number of Chinese consumers as edible salt. In recent years, salt rock products such as Pakistan salt lamp, bath salt, and salt rock plate used for steam sauna have also become popular in China. 

Through the e-commerce platform, the sales of our related products are very considerable. Especially during the recent online shopping carnivals including November 11th and December 12th, Himalayan salt rock products from Pakistan are being accepted by more and more Chinese people through e-commerce platforms,” manager of Ciaodo, the biggest Taobao shop for Pakistani rock salt, said to Gwadar Pro.

Nov 11th, a day that e-commerce companies have turned into the world’s biggest for online shopping by offering a stream of promotions and discounts. 

Taking this opportunity, Alibaba’s e-commerce platforms, Taobao and Tmall, have enabled the sales of Rock salt products in Pakistan to perform well. Ciaodo has sold over 300 Himalayan salt lamp products on that occasion.

They told Gwadar Pro that: “indeed, e-commerce platforms have boosted sales and, more importantly, through these channels, the huge Chinese market is embracing Himalayan salt lamps gradually and laying a solid foundation for more Pakistani products being exported to China.”

The combination of online and offline forms has improved the sales channels of Himalayan salt lamps in China. Ciaodo believes that CIIE has significantly raised the popularity of salt lamps in China. 

The manager said: “CIIE was very effective in promoting Himalayan salt lamps. After the closing of the 4th CIIE this year, many Chinese consumers who learned about Pakistan salt lamps found our Taobao shop and bought our products. 

Because salt lamps are heavy, more consumers are more willing to buy them on e-commerce platforms after learning about them through offline channels.”

Chinese consumers’ love for salt lamps is obvious. “There is no bad feedback for our salt lamps and we have a lot of repeat customers. Chinese consumers value it for its decorative, practical and, most importantly, health benefits. 

Most of the Chinese customers who bought Himalayan salt lamps will come back and buy some more to give to others or put in more places,” Ciaodo said.

Salt Lamp still faces some challenges in exporting to China, and e-commerce platforms are addressing these issues. Ciaodo said: “We started selling Himalayan edible salt in 2017 and started selling salt lamps in the last two years. 

The biggest difficulty of this product is that its popularity is still deficient and the target consumer group is limited. But the situation is improving thanks to CIIE and e-commerce platforms. In addition, the salt lamp is still a crude processed product. 

We are also trying to design new salt rock products to maximize the good e-commerce sales environment in China and make more people like the salt lamp from Pakistan.”

In addition to edible salt and salt lamps, bath salt and salt plates for sauna are also gradually becoming popular in the Chinese market. Ciaodo said that many Pakistani rock salt sellers in China are looking forward to the performance of this kind of rock salt products in the Chinese market in the future, which will become another huge business opportunity.