When Chen Xianxiu opened the first electrical-appliance store in Medog in the Tibet autonomous region in November 2010, she received not only customers through her doors, but curious onlookers.

"Many of the senior people had never seen a refrigerator. They opened it and touched the ice inside," says the 47-year-old from Sichuan province.

"Some children came in and asked me, 'How much is it?' I didn't know how to answer them."