With the oppressive heat of this early summer in Europe, sales of fans, air coolers, and portable or mobile air conditioners have been exploding for several weeks, especially in France and Luxembourg.

Stock shortages in the two countries have made it nearly impossible to purchase equipment in stores. So consumers are rushing to sites like Amazon, Temu, and the newcomer to the European market, the Chinese platform Joybuy.

"My girlfriend bought two of them. She bought two units—one for the living room and one for her bedroom. They were out of stock pretty much everywhere. So, the only place she could find two fans was Amazon, and delivery was quite fast," said Farzin, a resident of Luxembourg.
"I was looking for an air conditioner for my mother-in-law, but I couldn't find one in stores. I did some research online and found it very difficult to get one; I eventually found a unit that was delivered within a week, whereas the others had a two-to-three-month wait," said Rui, another resident.

"When it comes to e-commerce, it helps a lot, especially right now," noted resident Alexandre.

While many fans and air conditioners are still available, delivery times vary greatly depending on the brands and the type of equipment sought.

"It was a bit complicated during that period. I managed to find one fan, but another one I had ordered was canceled three days before delivery. So, it was a bit of a mixed experience," said Luxembourg resident Solene.

"Especially during heatwave periods, I know that delivery times were significantly extended for the well-being of the delivery drivers, which is completely normal," said Victoria, another resident.

The summer season is intensifying the trade war among online platforms—specifically between established sites and emerging ones, particularly those based in Asia. Consumers say they are increasingly willing to turn to Chinese platforms for everyday products.

"On sites like Shein, for instance, there's much more room for a wide variety of options, whereas on more traditional sites, you tend to find much more conventional brands," noted Yael, a resident of France.