You are listening to Roundtable, I'm Nyeong -heung -ling, joined by Steve and Lai Ming.
Coming up soon. You know the saying, when man's trash is another man's treasure.
Today, on Xianyu, one of China's most popular online, second -hand market platforms, one person's regret buy is another person's latest hustle.
What's driving this craze?
Find out with us. And a 2024 analysis found that students who take handwritten notes perform better on tests, yet in China, handwriting no longer means paper.
Digital ink is replacing traditional notebooks.
Does this mean the best of both worlds?
Or are we losing something in the process?
Before that. Ever regretted an impulse purchase?
Well, someone on Xian Yu probably wants it at the right price.
In fact, buying and selling on the second -hand platform isn't just about getting rid of things anymore.
It's a whole new way of thinking about money, trends and even social status.
So I want to ask this question.
I want to direct this question to Lai Mie because I kind of know the answer.
Do you use Xian Yu so much in your daily life?
I don't have it on my phone, but whenever I have a need to recycle something or when I want to buy something I'll download it on my phone and yes I you can consider me a user of the platform and so far I have recycled or reclaimed 7600 yen from recycling used items of these include laptops e -readers and furniture over a period of Seven years, about 7 ,000.
That's not bad. Seven years, about 7 ,000 a thousand yen a year, not bad at all.
Not bad. So this is a platform where people can sell almost anything, right?
They can sell electronics.
They can sell clothing.
They can sell kitchen appliances, anything you might find in your home.
Does it go as to big ticket items as well?
Like, cars even? Do those get sold secondhand on this kind of platform?
Well you can definitely find buyers and list your things on it, but whether or not to make the actual deal on the platform is your decision to make, but the thing is it's getting more interesting than that because more and more, especially the younger generation, they are using the platform to sell services.
Mmm, services meaning I think we've touched on a few of these things before, right?
Right, so not just things like fashion items that they don't want to wear anymore.
You're talking about things where someone else gets involved in your life for a short period of time.
Yeah. So, AI is a keyword or a catchy word these days, and the rise of AI tools like DeepSeek in early 2025 gave way to a new wave of side hustles with tech savvy AI users leveraging AI tools to offer everything from personalized AI partner customization to creating digital art for other people as side gigs or secondhand dealing platforms like we mentioned earlier.
Is that how you made your 7000 yuan?
I need a degree in computer science to be able to do that, which I regret not having.
Some tech savvy AI users sell instructions that can activate AI to create your own digital AI boyfriend or girlfriend.
And these are trained to match your personality.
You can get them sweet, sassy or anything in between.
Yeah, pretty cool. They'll sell you the instructions on how to do it.
Yeah, but before AI, actually, we had this kind of trend already.
It's not all of the services are AI related.
Hmm. Yeah, you have things like pet care From cat and dog walking cats.
Do you take your cat for a walk outside?
So many no, some people do I've seen it How about this big walking?
That's a service that's provided here as well Take your big for a walk if you happen, that's one that's fantastic How about this you have a complex Lego set but you think I can't do this Well go on the app and you can find a Lego builder to build it on your behalf So I paid for my toy and I pay for someone to play my toy Well not play with it, but to build it for you those Legos can be very complicated Sometimes if you've seen them the structures can be quite big.
But the complexity is part of the fun also the time that I spend on You know assembling it really is you know where the fun comes from.
Yeah, right? Well, you know No, it's not for everyone.
Okay, so you don't like that, maybe you'll like this.
This is called a fake friend or whoever service.
So if you need someone to vent to, maybe you had a bad day, you just need someone to listen to you, complain about your job or your life for a few minutes, well, you can hire someone to do that.
Or, you can hire someone to play your crush for you so that you can practice saying, I love you to a fake crush.
So that you're ready to say it to your real crush when, when that time comes in your life.
Wow. Yup. Or you can hire a fake friend for emotional support, comforting advice, or just a virtual hug.
Hmm. This reminds me of topics that we talked about earlier, many, many years ago, in fact on round table where people would go on shopping platforms by services like for someone to do your homework for your kids, or to to pretend to be your parents and go to a parent's teacher meetings.
Yeah, but all these actually exist for quite a long time, and the reason that they're flourishing on this second -hand online platform is actually due to the reason that this platform is being more and more popular among especially the younger generation, people started to use it not only as a place that they can sell and buy second -hand stuff but also even a place that they can socialise with each other.
This is interesting, because really for many years we've talked about, in fact, we've followed the trends among the tech giants in this country and we've noticed a pattern where Alibaba can be very good that you or e -commerce and platforms and payment methods and such, but they are not necessarily very good at providing a social networking platform.
They've tried very hard to push Taobao and Dingdang, which they've shaped as a workplace networking application, but they're not very successful in this regard.
But now, there's perhaps in the same vein as young people a few years ago would want to go to QQ instead of WeChat to stay away from the parents and teachers.
They're claiming QQ for their own platform.
Their own territory.
Maybe in the same vein of that, by the same token, young people are using Xianyu instead of Taobao.
It's a deparentization project.
This is very frustrating, as a middle -aged person striving to stay connected with the younger generation.
I finally got to managed to reach level four on Billy Billy feeling like well I have successfully arrived yes I've arrived I'm there I am explanation please what does level four grant you access to you get a club card and discounts at the local restaurant.
No but only a level four vanity it's a comforting illustration or illusion a comforting illusion that I had been completely well haven't been completely left behind by the times and it's an illusion because now people are well they still love Billy Billy which is a shorter video platforms but we know a platform but we know there are multiple platforms these kind of platforms in China it's just that one is one among the three most popular social app among the younger generations Another one is ret -note, we've touched upon ret -note, and the next one is xianyuan.
So instead. I have no idea.
Right? I should download it on my phone.
You should, because people are, there are different ways young people are socializing with each other on this platform but I have found one interesting example that if this person is a causer, so for those of you who do not know what is a causer, you can, you know, find another episode to listen to.
Because apparently this is what young people are, something young people are very interested in.
They would do the cosplay kind of activity trying to make them look like one of their favorite characters in an anime or in any kind of shows, and they - Mostly animation or games, yeah.
Exactly, and they need the whole costume, they need the special makeup, they need the hair pieces and everything.
It's a ritual. It's a ritual and also it is something that You need the final product of your cosplay and the final product would be a video or a set of photos So you dress up you make the final product and that is a complete cosplaying Experience experience which makes all the outfit and everything a one -time Disposable item.
Disposable item, for sure.
And that is why, for those, especially those born after 1995, after 2000, they find buying things a bit too consuming financially.
So they're renting all these sets on Shengyu, and after doing that, they started to realize when they posted their pictures in this platform, when they start a conversation on this platform, Sure.
They can attract a lot more people with the same hobby, the exact same hobby.
Like -minded causes.
Exactly! To talk to.
And that is, that kind of trend is making Xian University more and more like a socializing app, not just a second -hand platform.
Yeah, and that wouldn't just apply to cosplay.
No. Outfits that would apply to, you know, sports -related equipment like bicycles if someone's selling bicycle with someone selling a bicycle will they're obviously connected to the bicycle and communities maybe they heard their legs they couldn't cycle for anymore and if they want to sell it yeah and if someone's buying it then they're also interested in that so they can kind of meet that way which is which is a cool side effect I I only have one cosplay experience and that was when I was looking at the cosplay well I was looking for an apartment in Seoul and I contacted the people who were living
there at the time and they arranged for me to come look at the house.
When I arrived they open the door and they were dressed like some Japanese animation characters.
I don't know what it was.
They had an event that afternoon and they were on their way but I had no idea what was happening for about ten seconds in my mind.
I hesitated. Should I walk into this house?
Because I fear I may not come out.
But anyway, your point is about social media being a part of this as well.
So you've got the supply, you've got the demand, you've got price flexibility, right, because people can negotiate there a little bit.
And then the possibility of friendship exists as well.
Yes. And actually, I've got this one comment talking about say the community atmosphere here is better than other platforms.
When I post cosplay pictures on other platforms, I get a bunch of mindless comments.
But here, people ask me about the layout where I bought it, if it's secondhand, if it can be swapped, and it feels like people in the same circle are playing with me on it.
We're communicating with each other.
And that is why I like the atmosphere in this community.
That is interesting.
That is precisely the kind of atmosphere that would dissuade me from staying on the platform.
This is precisely the reason why I don't have the app on my phone on a regular basis.
I only downloaded when I needed because I feel like users of this platform they ask too, way too many questions.
They seem way too picky to me.
With the laptop that I sold, at one point I had to go to Apple Store and have the screen replaced and then sell it on on their platform because they demanded it.
Because they're so well informed right?
I know. They do their research.
Listen, I have a lot of experience.
They that I used to use all the time and I did have it on my phone in Korea from my experience a long time ago I think you could say that when people would get new things for example when people move to a new home they would always want to get new furniture and new electronics and things like that new appliances but times are changing these days where instead of just throwing away or donating items they'll use these second -hand platforms to buy them and I I was on there as well.
My wife used it a lot.
And yeah, the selling experience can sometimes be very stress free.
People can be lovely, but other times it can be time consuming.
Inquisitive. Yeah, answering questions, 100 questions.
And then the person finally says, no, actually I don't want it.
And it can be annoying that way too.
I think it's because the reason we got onto the second hand platforms is to buy and sell.
but for some people it's to make friends and find like -minded people, to have fun, to enjoy the process of bargaining, to enjoy the result of getting a good deal.
Yes, and after that, I mean the initial stage of attracting all these young people with very specific, yet consuming hobbies onto the platform, The platform is now also kind of taking advantage in a good way of these people to start or to have more business opportunities in different ways.
For instance, I saw one of the examples, one thing that's sold on the platform was a helping you to stand in a queue kind of business.
Because if Remember, yes, remember previously, I think last year, ji -bou got really popular and going to ji -bou to have the barbecue started to be something very popular and trendy and young people would like to do since it's really tasty, yet with more and more people going to that place it would be a bit hard for them to get the authentic barbecue.
And that is when young people, actually living in ji -bou put up a post on the platform saying that I would stand in the queue for you on the day that you require me to, so that when you actually arrive, we can just take my place and get the food you need.
Yeah, that's not new.
They do that in America too.
During Black Friday, right?
Oh yeah. Electronic sales where you have to line up the night before you can hire somebody to.
Yeah, that one's not new.
I think that's kind of a smart little business idea.
It is. Young people are being really smart and they have a good business idea, instead of looking for the kind of market to make the idea happening, they actually, they can go to this one and probably you would find the right buyers.
I think during the Spring Festival, a lot of young people were using the platform to buy discounted memberships for gyms or streaming services or even movie tickets for that matter.
So, you're not paying full price, so you get that reward, right?
You're saving money, you're enjoying the benefits, it's and it's a mentality shared among Gen Z.
It's the earn while you save mentality, right?
So you're gaining something while saving something at the same time.
And I think that's a part of the reason these types of apps have become so popular.
Today's young people are so much smarter financially.
And I also think behind this trend, the diversification of different shopping platforms is taking place.
And that may have been the reason why we see the drastic differences between different platforms.
Because Taobao over the years has been trying to ship yourself as a place to buy high -end, whereas I'm not very much aware of the strategy that they're doing with TikTok and also the Shenoyu platform.
I'm curious, do we see any potential risks, any problems that might generate from this business model?
From a consumer's point of view.
Or yeah. Yeah, I mean from a consumers point of view, I was reading blog posts about this and what I just mentioned, the earn while you save mentality can work to your advantage wonderfully.
But if you're not paying attention, it's very easy to get addicted to these types of applications.
This is the beginning of one blog post from Cosmo UK from 2023.
This is how it started.
Recently, when I unlocked my phone, my thumbs were no longer instinctively reaching for Instagram or TikTok.
Instead, I headed straight for the secondhand applications.
Now I can spend hours scrolling through these marketplace apps, obsessively checking if anyone liked my items, if they've sold yet, and then more hours searching for things that I want to buy.
A handful of secondhand clothes for less than the price of a cup of coffee.
Those apps are so popular in the UK one has 75 million users and that again these statistics are from a couple of years ago, so the numbers are probably even higher now.
And the age group there are 57 % from 18 to 34.
This isn't a thing only here in China, it's in the States, Canada, the UK.
These second hand apps are booming.
The downside is you can get addicted, you can start spending more money than you would buy if you were buying something new because you buy more of things.
So just be aware of that, that relates to fashion, the fashion side of these apps.
Yes and besides that we are also seeing someone selling AI related fortune telling services.
Not people fortune telling cats, fortune telling pads.
Octopus fortune telling.
Yes and these things should not be on the platform because a lot of young people are using it.
You do not want to mislead them.
So October's fortune?
Remember the football?
Paul was his name, I think the World Cup October.
But he was actually very good at it, though, wasn't he?
Well, my point is, a certain level of supervision is definitely necessary when it comes to these kind of platforms.
And when the seller or buyer invites you to talk on WeChat, don't agree.
Keep all the discussion and communication on the platform so you're supervised.
You're listening to Roundtable.
Pen and paper are out.
Stellas and screen are in.
In China, handwritten notes have gone digital.
Is this the perfect balance between old and new, or just another tech -fat?
Stay tuned! Looking for passion?
How about fiery debate?
Wanna hear about current events in China from different perspectives?
Then tune into Roundtable, where East meets West and understanding is the goal.
This is Roundtable with me, Steve Hetherly, and Laimingh, 2025.
We are still taking hand notes, are we?
But we're taking it in a different way.
Yeah, people are, instead of using paper, real paper and pens, they are now using digital Input, note -taking apps, the widespread use of iPads and Stelos like the Apple Pencil has made digital handwritten notes more convenient.
Students can write directly on tablets while benefiting from digital organization and storage.
Every so often when you go on the little red book or red note, you see people uploading their own beautiful, beautiful handwritten notes on iPads and they're becoming different colors and different highlights.
So you, I couldn't help but admire them.
But for many years, digital handwritten notes had been a no no to me, because my handwriting is very poor for those who know me, they would definitely agree.
And also, because my handwritten is so poor, there's no chance of using OCR to tell, to change them into, you know, into digital letters.
Because the program can't understand.
No, they can't understand.
But in recent years, a lot of e -readers that I use, I used to use Books, Note X.
Now I have a Books Tap 13, for better experience.
And Your Holy, I only understand you use i -reader, which is a different Chinese brand of e -link readers.
Uh -huh. I also have...
I also have a Huawei.
Well sure, so they've gotten better at reading handwritten notes and therefore I, this is why I doubled down all my investment in e -readers and I got my books tapped 13, which is quite expensive, but it was very efficient in telling what I've written in my notes.
Yeah, I was curious for the sake of taking notes...
like, for the sake of learning, what are some advantages and disadvantages of using this way of taking notes?
Well, when it comes to just preparing yourself for school and heading to the classroom, it's so much easier, isn't it?
Remember, back in the day, you'd have to load up all your different notebooks.
And you'd have one heavy notebook per class, right?
Because you wouldn't keep your math notes next to your history notes.
That would be insane for a student to do that.
So this just simplifies the process, right?
And it makes things easier in terms of taking notes in classroom.
And it makes things easier for study purposes, too.
Sure. The advantage is that, when you are taking digital notes, there's the functionality on your computer devices to press Ctrl and F to find whatever key words you like to find.
But on the other side of it, the disadvantage is our brains aren't built to live in the virtual world yet.
There's been millions of years of training for us to grasp the world around us.
So when we remember things, when we study things, the shape of the characters, the material on which you write the notes and the position of the words against the larger context of the piece of paper, they're all matter.
They all serve as factors to help you in memorizing them and if you are simply typing them into a TXT file.
Sometimes your mind is focused on the letters per se rather than other factors of the game, of the memorizing process.
And you're skipping that and therefore when you want to recall you're missing key indicators that might help you bring back and recall the content that you're taking down.
But if we're talking about note taking and we're not talking about studying, right?
If we're talking about studying, you can still study in that… And I read a study recently that talked about the fact that, you know, studying that way, writing out notes on your paper is better for memorization and learning, but for simply talking about note taking in the classroom.
And you really, really know how to use these tools very accurately, right?
Imagine an engineering student, for example, having to write down notes with the stylus and then flipping over to a graph and having to fill in information there.
If you knew exactly how to use all of these programs very efficiently, this could make the classroom experience a lot more efficient and effective, and then you could still, when you go and study, you could still change your method when you go to study.
But I think as a classroom tool, this wins.
Sure, I agree. See?
See, see here, I do not agree with that.
I don't think there's a winner, but there can be a winner for each and every individual, because people learn things differently.
Previously we only have the opportunity or only have the choice of handwriting notes now we can write those notes on digital devices and then of course you can also type and there are so many different ways and who knows maybe in the future you can have a chip in your brain and just talk to the built -in - You make me nervous with that, Lyming she's always talking about chips being implanted in our brain.
You know I'm having someone talking to you in your brain as a way to study.
You never know, and there, it's always good to have multiple choices because there is a way, a best way for each and every individual.
Everybody's different.
Everybody's different.
Yeah. We have different learning habits.
Some I think it's easier to write down stuff.
Some might think it's useful and efficient to go back to a digital nose and study them.
Yes. And that brings us to the end of today's roundtable.
I'm Nia Hong -lin with Steve and Lin -Ming.
Thanks for listening.
Bye -bye.
