SHANGHAI -- The coronavirus outbreak is hitting China's retail sector hard, with brick-and-mortar stores seeing a plunge in customer traffic and online vendors struggling to fill a flood of orders from consumers scared to venture outside.
Alibaba struggles to fill orders while Uniqlo and Starbucks close stores

People are seen wearing protective masks in the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai. © Reuters
SHANGHAI -- The coronavirus outbreak is hitting China's retail sector hard, with brick-and-mortar stores seeing a plunge in customer traffic and online vendors struggling to fill a flood of orders from consumers scared to venture outside.