Qualified virtual lovers should have a sweet voice, be an empathetic listener and talker, and sometimes a good singer, according to Xiaolu, owner of the store, which offers 40 virtual girlfriends and 40 boyfriends.

Her store rolled out a package service to mark Singles' Day and even offers English, French, and Japanese language chatting services.

"I don't do it for money, just for fun. You can listen to different people's stories, and sometimes it also has healing effects on myself," said a virtual girlfriend nicknamed "Namei".

Social-networking and emotional support demands have surged in recent years with the rise of the middle class and the Internet in China. Members of the Internet-savvy post-80s generation, most of whom grew up in one-child families, tend to seek understanding, encouragement and companionship from strangers online.

Companies have rushed to cash in on the generation's loneliness. In addition to virtual lover services, blind dating apps such as Momo have gained wide popularity among young people. Momo, a Tinder-like app, is reported to be preparing for an IPO in the United States, with more than 50 million active users.

However, the virtual lover business has raised concerns over online and offline pornography. Taobao started screening searches for virtual lovers in late October, but the stores are still out there.

"The demand is there. People nowadays are facing multiple pressures from work, life and family, and it is an alternative to ease anxiety," said Yang Yin, a visiting psychological consultant with Renmin University of China.

But Yang cautioned that over-indulgence in virtual relationships may hamper real-life interpersonal relations.

"The loneliness might be eased for a while thanks to the virtual lover, but when the deal ends, it is likely to grow stronger. Anyway, 'Her' is not a real her," Yang added.

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