As the Spring Festival draws closer, a shopping craze is spreading across China. This year, various shopping methods have emerged, created by both retailers and consumers.

Spring Festival is the most important traditional holiday among the Chinese people, and a best chance for retailers to cash in. Despite of the global financial turmoil, the year´s festival shopping spree is as hot as usual.

At an exhibition center in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, commodities from all around the country have attracted local shoppers.

Farm products from areas hit by the "May 12th earthquake" were also favored by the customers.

He Xiaobing, a retailer from Beichuan Town, said: "We didn´t expect such strong consumption, Our goods will be sold out before the festival."

While many supermarkets and department stores have been offering discounts and other promotions to compete for customers, a new shopping style, "group shopping", is becoming popular in many cities. They organize shopping groups usually through internet and hit the markets together.

It´s a smart way for a good bargain.

A Tianjin customer said: "We together have taken 7 to 8 items of clothing, some shoes and cosmetics. Altogether we have saved several thousand Yuan. "

Internet shopping can also save both money and time. A click of mouse can allow you to have products from the stores delivered to your home. Young people favor this way of shopping to the traditional way of hunting for bargains in the stores.