Beijing ( CNN ) -- When I first came across a `` virtual lover '' service on e-commerce site Taobao , China 's version of Amazon , I thought it was hype . For an average of 20 yuan ( $ 3 ) per day , it claimed you could hire a boyfriend or girlfriend to talk on the phone or chat online to make you feel like you 're in love . The service varies but it includes wake-up calls , text and voice messages , phone calls and goodnight wishes . As the largest online shopping platform in China , Taobao vendors sell anything they can think of as long as it 's not illegal . Usually I would be skeptical about such a service but I was drawn to a comment left by one `` virtual girlfriend '' enthusiast . `` It was awesome -- she shared my happiness and cheered me up when I was down . She has a beautiful voice , and an intelligent mind ... I so do n't want to leave her . '' This glowing review got me interested in having my own `` Miss Right '' on my smartphone . I contacted the Taobao vendor and she asked if I had any preferences . Options included `` doll-like girls '' and `` mature women , '' while ladies had the choice of different types of `` boyfriends , '' including `` comforting man , '' `` funny lad , '' and `` understanding uncle . '' I said that I 'd like the girl to be cheerful but not too `` doll-like . '' Then she asked for my WeChat number , an instant messaging app with 450 million users , and told me there was no refund if I changed my mind . 'Journey of love ' It was n't long before I got my first voice message from my own virtual girlfriend , called Maopi , outlining the terms of our relationship : `` Hello , this voice message is to prove that I 'm not a boy , nor a robot . Also , please leave out anything erotic in our conversations . I 'm very much looking forward to our journey of love , '' she said in a business-like voice . She told me she was a college student majoring in design , liked painting and hated pineapples , although she did n't know why . Then she briefly lectured me on some ground rules of the game : No private information , no photos and no video chat . Normally , I would much rather have a conversation with my date across a dinner table but her voice was intriguing and I spent a few hours chatting with her about food , music , relationships and our favorite TV series . Confidence boost . A virtual girlfriend may sound seedy but psychologist Paul Yin says this kind of service appeals to men who do n't have the confidence to enter a real-life relationship . `` They can gain confidence and feel loved through this experience and there 's no risk in getting frustrated from setbacks , '' he told CNN . `` Many young men ca n't find enough courage to approach girls they find interesting because they fear to be rejected . '' I also wondered whether a person could really make a living from being someone 's virtual boyfriend or girlfriend and asked Maopi to share her side of our virtual love story . She said people sign up with her for different reasons : Some feel lonely and want to have someone to talk to , some seek comfort after breaking up with lovers , and many just sign up out of curiosity . `` I 've had some quite dedicated 'lovers ' who would sign up for months just to chat with me , '' she said . She said business had been good since she started working as a virtual girlfriend in July . However , she said she could n't remember how much money she made . For her , the job is more about hearing different stories . Pleasant surprise . The next morning , I woke up to find 24 unread messages . It was my girlfriend 's attempt to wake me up . We exchanged a few more voice and text messages but it did n't feel long before my day-long `` virtual love affair '' came to an end . If you want to know how it feels to have a virtual relationship , I 'd say if you 're lonely or heartbroken from a recent break up , finding a virtual lover might work better than boozing all night and drunk dialing your ex-lover at three in the morning . And for those who want to `` get lucky '' , I guarantee you 'll have better luck with the first person you dance with at the nearest club . Though my virtual love affair was platonic , I still enjoyed her company . And I was pleasantly surprised when she asked to exchange photos and keep in touch after our day was up . CNN 's Katie Hunt in Hong Kong contributed to this report .
Amazon , China 's subsidiary of Amazon , has ` ` virtual girlfriends '' For $ 3 day , you can hire a boyfriend or girlfriend to talk on the phone or even online . He says this appeals to people who lack confidence to enter a real - life relationship .