City consumers benefit hugely from sales promotion month

Consumers buy fashion products at a supermarket in HCMC. Discounts for fashion products averaged out at 22% during September - Photo: Minh Tam

HCMC – Consumers in HCMC enjoyed nearly VND300 billion, or some US$15 million, under the form of discounts during September chosen as the Big Sale Promotion Month, the city’s Department of Industry and Trade said on Wednesday.

In its overview of the sales month released on Wednesday, the department said the total promotional value amounted to VND296 billion, a hefty increase of 120% against the similar activity last year.

As many as 608 traders with 2,200 outlets participated in the sales program, increasing by 22.7% and 38% respectively. Most of the participating traders are trade centers, supermarkets, and marketplaces.

The department in its report said sharpest discounts belonged to cosmetics-fashion at an average 22%, followed by digital equipment and ICT devices at 18.5%, tourism-hotel and foods and beverages both at 16.2%, and household appliances at 15.9%.

Many traders reported sharp increases in sales during the month.

Saigon Co.op with its stores chain Co.opMart saw sales revenue increase 40% against the previous month and 50% year on year, while BigC witnessed the number of shoppers increase a staggering 110%. Other less-known supermarkets also reported agreeable growth rates, at 15-25% at Maximark, and 30% at Citimart.

Electronics centers were also big gainers in the month. Thien Hoa Electronics Shopping Centers reported an increase of 120% against August and 136% against the year-earlier period.

A highlight of this year’s sales program is the attraction of green products marketed by Unilever, Vinamilk, Colgate Palmolive, and Kido JS Company.

Revenues of these enterprises introducing green products at Saigon Co.op’s chain were said to increase by between 30% and 40% during the week-long showcase.

The Sales Promotion Month is a regular activity organized by the city’s Department of Industry and Trade in collaboration with the Department of Culture-Sports-Tourism to boost sales in September, when retail revenues often plunge. The annual activity was first organized in 2005.

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Expo 2010 kicks off in city on Wednesday

Staff members of a local handicraft business arrange products for display at Expo 2010 in HCMC - Photo: Le Toan

HCMC – The International Furniture & Handicraft Fair and Exhibition 2010, or Expo 2010, starts on Wednesday at the HCMC Exhibition and Convention Center in Tan Binh District, helping local exporters build business links with foreign customers.

Expo 2010 features the latest goods at 700 booths of 300 domestic and foreign companies in the wood processing and handicraft sectors, the same numbers as last year’s event.

Tran Vinh Nhung, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade, an organizer of the 10th annual furniture and handicraft trade promotion event, said the exhibition would provide local exporters with the opportunity to reach out to more international clients.

Small and medium enterprises in the country that have little chance to attend international trade fairs can find it affordable to join a local trade show of international magnitude, Nhung said.

For the furniture and handicraft sectors, the Expo has since 2003 built a reputation among Vietnamese and international enterprises as a destination for local exporters and foreign importers.

The event helped to spur furniture and handicraft export revenue from US$590 million in 2001 to US$3.04 billion last year. The figure is expected to rise to US$4.5 billion this year.

Do Thang Hai, head of the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the agency had promoted the event in renowned magazines such as Cens Furniture-China, Southeast Asia Furniture Manufacturers and Exporters Directory 2010, Furniture Singapore, Furniture On Wednesday and Heritage, as well as at exhibitions in the U.S., Germany and Japan.

The organizers of Expo 2010, just as last year, will introduce additional services for enterprises joining the program. Businesses, including those without a booth at the exhibition, can join the online fair Online Expo at www.hcmcexpo.com.vn.

The Online Expo 2010 has attracted over 800 woodwork and handicraft enterprises nationwide showcasing around 7,000 products, up 21% and 40% from last year respectively.

Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang has decided to reward 13 local organizations, including Saigon Times Group as the only media outlet in the country, for their outstanding contributions to promoting furniture and handicraft export over the past decade.

The award ceremony will take place at the inauguration of Expo 2010 on Wednesday.

The even is held annually by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the HCMC government, the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and the city’s Department of Industry and Trade.

The Expo became a fair specializing in furniture and handicraft promotion in 2004.

Saigon Times Group has been actively cooperating with the city’s Department of Industry and Trade to promote the woodworking and handicraft industries at home and abroad over the years.

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Supermarkets report strong earnings in Big Sale month

Customers flood a food counter at the Big C Hoang Van Thu Supermarket. Food and cosmetics items were more sought after during the Big Sale month - Photo: Minh Tam

HCMC – Many supermarkets in HCMC have reported strong sales in September when the Big Sale month was launched citywide by the city’s Department of Industry and Trade.

Most supermarkets witnessed 15% to 30% growth in September sales against the previous month, but some saw the growth rate close to 50%. Store chain operators attributed the high growth rate to deep discounts – between 5% and 50% - on thousands of items during the month.

Saigon Co.op, which is the biggest domestic store chain operator, said its revenue surged 45% in September against August, and even 50% higher compared to that in the year-earlier period.

“Consumers spent more during the month,” said a representative of Saigon Co.op.

Maximark chain has not had the growth figures for its stores in HCMC, but the chain’s revenue from all stores including in Nha Trang and Can Tho expanded 15% year-on-year, said Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, head of Maximark Cong Hoa.

Thao said Maximart launched the promotion not only in HCMC but chain-wide.

Duong Thi Quynh Trang, external relations manager of Big C, said the number of shoppers grew by 30% in September. “This is quite an upbeat figure, proving the attraction of the promotion month to consumers,” Trang told the Daily.

During festive days like the National Day on September 2, all supermarkets saw a shopping spree, and many stores had to extend the working hour by another 30 minutes, or mobilized more cashiers.

Several traders attributed the revenue rise to a new trend being established in the city, saying the sales promotion month has been launched for years, thus helping customers familiarize themselves with the shopping seasons of big discounts.

Apart from supermarkets, other trade centers and commercial facilities have not yet reported their September figures. The HCMC Department of Industry and Trade expects to have the final figures about the promotion month in the next few days.

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