MARKET POTENTIAL UNLEASHED

The holiday also served as a barometer of China's consumption upgrading, with new business models and scenarios stimulating market vitality.

In Tianjin, a pop-up store themed on a homegrown animated series allowed fans to interact with their favorite characters. "It's amazing to see the fictional world come to life," said Xu Lin, a visitor from Shandong province.

In Huzhou city, Zhejiang province, low-altitude tourism - including helicopter, paragliding, and hot-air balloon rides - gained popularity, with 16 routes and seven operating sites offered during the holiday.

Meanwhile, smart appliances are driving sales of higher-value home products. Preliminary figures showed that AI smart appliances accounted for 55 percent of Suning's holiday sales. "Shoppers are increasingly focused on intelligence and user experience," said Ma Ye, deputy manager of a Suning store in Beijing.

Policies also played a key role in stimulating spending. On September 30, the central government issued the fourth tranche of this year's 69 billion yuan ultra-long special treasury bonds, designated for consumer-goods trade-ins. Local authorities also issued consumption vouchers and launched initiatives such as "credit-based travel" to facilitate spending.