BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has for the first time released an indicator tracking online retail sales of goods and services, while discontinuing the previous online retail sales indicator, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said on Monday.

Fu told a press conference that the new indicator marks an important change in this year's consumer-related data releases.

The main difference between the two indicators is that the new one expands the statistical coverage of online service platforms and strengthens the measurement of online service retail sales, said Fu.

The previously released online retail sales indicator mainly consisted of two components, namely the online retail sales of physical goods, which mainly reflected online sales of goods, and online retail sales of non-physical goods, which mainly reflected service retail sales on key platforms.

Following the adjustment, the total volume of online retail sales of goods and services is larger than that of the previous online retail sales indicator, mainly due to the inclusion of additional online service retail sales, Fu said.

The bureau will further strengthen statistical monitoring of market sales to better reflect consumption trends and provide high-quality statistical information to the public, Fu added. ■