Daytime white collar, night market vendors

In areas surrounding Renmin University of China, Wudaokou and Tongzhou, there are many white-collar workers using their cars as stalls to sell goods, comprising returned overseas students speaking fluent foreign languages, office clerks and training school teachers. After getting off work and opening their car trunks, these daytime workers instantly turn into stall owners. “These white collars are especially hard to cope with”, a chief from a city management branch in Tongzhou told the reporter.

Daytime white collar, night market vendors

At 6:00 pm on the afternoon of June 14, a parking lot near a supermarket in Tongzhou gradually turned into a busy night market.

Car owners opened their car trunk and tied a rope on its two ends, took out garments and hung them on the rope, and then their business opened. Shoe sellers pulled a pram from the car and filled it with shoes to start business. Reporters counted that around 30 cars were selling goods. Almost all types of economic family cars, including QQ, Bora, Sail, Jetta and Corolla, could be found here.

A husband with Toyota Corolla car stood a little far away after he had helped his wife set up the stall, but his wife pulled him back and said, “Just pretend you are taking an evening walk? What are you ashamed of?” After chatting with this graceful female stall owner, reporters learned that she is a teacher living in a community nearby. She once opened an online shop on the Taobao website and had some goods left over. Next week, she will take a vacation with her family on the coast, so she wanted to sell the garments at “breakdown price”.

The sellers next to them were also a couple. They stock goods on Thursdays and sell them at weekends. The children’s wear of the couple sells quite well, because they are originally for export. “We have almost earned enough money for one month’s gas. In addition, we avoid switching on the air conditioner because we return home late.” This well-dressed seller said that setting up a stall to earn money is much better than going to KTV or dining out in a restaurant.

An unemployed man posted on an online community forum of Tongzhou District, saying that he would set up a stall and sell goods tomorrow. Surprisingly, this post has become popular. Many neighbors responded to him warmly, advising on what and how to sell. Some neighbors praised him for his optimistic and positive attitude.