Sales net strong response

Various sales held by major retailers starting this month sparked better-than-expected business over the weekend as retailers become more aggressive in marketing plans and special offers than previously.

"Shoppers nowadays make thorough comparisons before deciding where to go for their shopping spree, rather than acting from impulse," said Maggie Shi (施美君), public relations chief for Idee Department Store (衣蝶百貨).

"In addition to all-around discounts, department stores have to plan novel activities to lure consumers," she said.

After launching its annual sale last Friday, Idee saw 30 percent growth in year-on-year sales at its two outlets on Taipei's Nanjing West Rd, hitting NT$163 million through Sunday compared with the same period last year.

One the driving forces behind its brisk sales, Shi said, is that 100 Louis Vuitton handbags are available in lucky draws for those making purchases over NT$3,000.

The nation's largest department store chain, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store (新光三越), also saw 20 percent sales growth during its annual sale's first four days through Sunday in its outlet on Nanjing West Rd, with the sales figure topping NT$450 million.

"The performance is better than our expectation," said Shauna Lee (李香萩), spokeswoman for Shin Kong Mitsukoshi's 11 outlets nationwide.

Shin Kong has not simply made its anniversary decor more attractive; it offers customers a six-month zero-interest installment program. As oil price increases have put pressure on other commodity prices to rise, consumers are eager to make more purchases before prices go up, Lee said.

The annual sales starting in October are typically a bellwether for stores before the year-end holiday season.

Lee "This period accounts for nearly 20 percent of our annual performance."

Hypermarkets are sparing no efforts to push up business volume. RT-Mart (大潤發), the nation's second largest discounter is providing a Lexus RX330 recreational vehicle worth more than NT$2 million as a drawing prize.

Retailers to have something that lures people. But Fiona Wang (王彤芳), marketing manager of RT-Mart, said that the ritual of annual or anniversary sales means "operators have to sacrifice some profits to consolidate consumers' loyalty amid stiff competition."

Wang sales at 22 RT-Mart outlets rose by 30 percent over the weekend from a year ago. She declined to offer exact numbers.