HCM City businesses have sold a large number of inventories and haveincreased sales thanks to active participation in Sales Promotion Month(August 28-September 30).

Businesses and retailershave doubled or tripled revenue compared to last month, Tin Tuc (News)newspaper reported on September 26.

According to theHCM City Department of Industry and Trade's figures, sales haveincreased by 40-50 percent in the past month.

Fresh foodstuff, household appliances, electronics, and clothing have been the most popular.

Nguyen Thanh Nhan, director of Co.opmart supermarket chain, said thechain had seen good growth in the number of shoppers and sales turnover.

Fresh foodstuff saw the highest increase, 80 percent, compared to non-sale days.

Tran Tan Hoang Hau, marketing director of Thien Hoa electronicscentre, said the Sales Promotion Month is an opportunity for businessesto stimulate demands and increase sales, as well as help them to clearinventories to prepare for new products for the Lunar New Year 2014.

After discounts of 49 percent, sales turnover increased 200 percentcompared to the previous month. Customer traffic also went up, with morethan 50,000 shoppers coming to the centre in the weekend.

Sales are expected to continue to be strong during Sales Promotion Month, Hau said.

According to experts, the Sales Promotion Month has helped both consumers and stores considerably.

Le Van Khoa, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Industryand Trade, said that positive signs from Sales Promotion Month had givenretail businesses more motivation to work closely with manufacturersand suppliers to prepare sources of goods for the peak shopping time inthe year-end.

Many promotions will be launched in the near future to stimulate market demand, he added.-VNA