The 'dark' side of consumption

11 pm. With light music playing in the background, I light a fragrant candle, drape my face with a moisturizing mask, and rub lotion on my body. This is no daily bedtime ritual but a wakeup call of sorts. For a busy 'day' awaits. The night's young, as they say - it's time to shop. Online, that is.

Taobao is the first app I hit to check on the day's hot deals. My shopping record on the app shows I spent roughly 2,000 yuan ($285) in October. About 80 percent of the purchases were made during evenings. My top three favorites are: clothes, skincare products and cosmetics.

Money also flows out into online orders for food. With a few quick taps on my nifty smartphone, I can choose from a variety of delivery apps. Within minutes, my favorite foods arrive in thermal packaging boxes, hot, aromatic, and fresh.

The 'dark' side of consumption

The 'dark' side of consumption

The 'dark' side of consumption

The 'dark' side of consumption

The 'dark' side of consumption