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China’s stand-in economy grows as young workers hire life assistants
A trend that began widely reporting in 2024 is expanding into personalized errand and caregiving services, with social media posts drawing more than 120 million views.
South China Morning Post reports that China’s “stand-in economy” is gaining momentum as time-strapped young consumers pay for help with tasks they cannot or do not want to do themselves.
The services range from cooking and attending hospital visits to handling errands and other awkward situations, including doing “actual quarrelling,” according to SCMP Economy.
The outlet says the trend, first widely reported by mainland media in 2024, has expanded into a market for personalized errand services.
SCMP Economy also points to RedNote as a key driver, citing posts about paid handicraft and assembly assistance that have drawn over 120 million views, including customers hiring professional builders to assemble complex Lego sets.