Chongqing- The real-time retail of online ordering and delivery from nearby stores has become the preferred choice for most consumers in China during recent heat waves.

According to Jingdong (JD), one of the largest online retailers in China, sales of cooling appliances, such as fans, refrigerators, and air conditioners, have surged recently. Since June, the sales of JD air conditioners have increased by over 400% month on month.

According to another Chinese retailer Suning Commerce Group Co., Ltd., the sales of ice sleeves, sun protection clothing, sun hats, and sun umbrellas have increased by over 200% month on month since July.

A representative of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association said that the rapid development of new retail models, such as real-time retail and intra-city retail, not only boosts summer consumption but also enables physical retail outlets to reach more customers through online channels, promoting the development of both online and offline channels for the retail industry.

Summer resort and activities add more fun

People in Southwest China's Chongqing have devised various ways to cope with the summer heat, including eating iced watermelon, visiting a summer resort, swimming, and 'chilling' in local characteristic bomb shelters. 

For instance, the Chongqing Haichang Caribbean Water Park has recently been full of tourists with a maximum capacity of 15,000. The 28 ℃ Living Water Hall, which offers swimming training, exceeded 1 million yuan turnover in June and reached its record of over 1.5 million yuan in July.

In addition to the unique swimming pools, many scenic spots offer a variety of water sports with several exciting games.

For example, the waterpark of Chongqing Mexin Wine Town launched a challenge to play ice mahjong on the ice bench, which attracts many tourists. According to data, the waterpark has attracted nearly 150,000 visitors since it opened in June.

New trends in high-temperature consumption 

Chongqing Fengjie County, known for its comfortable climate and refreshing natural oxygen bar, plans to develop four towns over a latitude of 1,200 meters together, aiming to build the largest mountain summer resort near the Three Gorges, transforming "cool resources" into "heated incomes."

Located in eastern Chongqing, the "natural oxygen bar" at Fengdu Nantian Lake National Tourist Resort boasts average summer temperatures of 20 °C and 74% forest coverage.

The area has become a China National Tourist Resort thanks to the extensive ecotourism resources found in the Shizikou forest area and Niuqianxia drifting. "It's not hot at all to put up a tent under the shade of the Shizikou," said a tourist from the Chongqing main urban area. "You even need to bring a blanket, but it's so comfortable."

Data shows that outdoor drifting is quite popular among water entertainment items. The number of tourists to drifting sites such as Longhuxia, Niuqianxia, and Foyingxia has increased by more than 15 times yearly.

(Ge Rongchen, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)