Because Taobao is the largest online shopping platform in China, there are millions of items there, from dried mangoes of Cebu which is now being boycotted by Chinese vendors, to Australian Pokemon Go IDs.
With Pokemon Go now a global rage, Chinese techies, so as not to be left behind, are the buyers of the Australian Pokemon Go IDs on Taobao, reported LA Times. The IDs for Apple app store based in Australia have a price range of 13 cents to $3. Apple Pokemon Go, a Taobao store which sold the ID at 30 cents, was able to sell around 10,000 Australian IDs within one week.
The Nintendo game itself is not being sold on Chinese app stores, so Chinese gamers instead download the app from third-party websites or purchase it from app stores abroad, using the ID.
However, having the app on their mobile phones is not enough because they cannot log into Pokemon Go which needs a Google account. But Google remains blocked in China, so to go around the firewall block, Chinese gamers use a virtual private network to register and log into Pokemon Go through Google.
But even with the app and the log in problem solved, since Pokemon Go has been released only in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Germany, there are no Pokemons in China. To hurdle that obstacle, Chinese game addicts installed one more app to provide hem virtual GPS and pretend they are in an American city catching the cartoon character and gaining points.
Buying the apps, IDs and whatever is necessary to play the virtual reality game involves big money, noted LA Times. Daily, the game generates $1.6 million in revenue, including the sale of 20 Poke Balls at $1. The balls are virtual storage containers for the characters and saves the gamers from needing to walk around to collect it for free.
When there is a nearby Pokeman, the gamer must fling red Pokeballs from the bottom of the smartphone’s screen to catch the characters. The Pokeballs could be purchased from Pokestops often found in local landmarks such as parks of statues.