The raw ingredients section of Eleme. Agricultural markets in Nantong are being encouraged to set up shop on the platform, as it traces food sources, controls prices, and strictly follows the market regulations. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The commerce bureau of Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, has recently cooperated with a local company belonging to Alibaba in an effort to boost the city's service industry amid the epidemic.

Businesses in the service industry, especially restaurants, supermarkets, and retail stores, have been severely hit by the COVID-19 outbreak and are having difficulty recovering.

In an effort to help such businesses, Alibaba is encouraging them to set up shop on its food delivery platform Eleme.

The internet giant is also helping gain exposure for these businesses, cutting commissions by three to five percent, and offering free food delivery guidance for the first month.

Catering firms facing financial difficulties can apply for a variety of loans from both Eleme and Koubei, an online-to-offline e-commerce platform also belonging to Alibaba. Applicants with good credit can acquire funds immediately.

To deal with a shortage of delivery workers, Alibaba has also introduced an employment platform called Lanhai to help locals find jobs.

The company has also joined the battle against the virus by offering group meal orders and delivery services for companies. It has also established self-pick-up sites in local residential areas, office buildings, and hospitals to avoid cross infection.