PChome Online Inc (網路家庭), the nation’s largest online shopping Web site operator, yesterday posted the highest May sales in the company’s history, driven by rising purchases of air conditioners, electric fans, home ice machines and cold drinks due to the unusually hot weather last month.
Consolidated sales increased 11.49 percent month-on-month to NT$2.66 billion (US$89.21 million) and rose 11.23 percent year-on-year, the company said in a statement.
The highest May temperature recorded in Taiwan in the past 100 years boosted online sales of home appliances and products that would help people to stay cool, PChome said.
In the first five months of the year, cumulative sales totaled NT$13.24 billion, up 15.63 percent from the same period last year, PChome said.
Sales of sparkling water over the period nearly doubled compared with a year earlier, the company added.
Despite intense competition from rivals on all fronts, including business-to-customer, customer-to-customer and business-to-consumer-to-consumer operations, the company said it expects sales to remain robust this month, as it would be offering anniversary sales and launching special promotions in collaboration with various banks and brands.
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