Vita Parko Co Ltd, an importer of Swiss medicinal-cosmetics brand Cimabue, has responded to the changing economy by reviewing sales volume daily and weekly, instead of annually.

"We needed to make the change in order to be more responsive to the market situation. We won't set high sales targets, because the larger the target is, the higher the marketing budget is," said general manager Siriporn Kittiwongsophon, adding that the company evaluates the medicinal cosmetics market every three months and checks its inventory every week, to ensure it achieves its annual sales targets.

The company then arranges promotions for some products, in order to boost sales if needed.

Of overall sales, most come from traditional customers, followed by its pharmaceutical channel, then department stores and shopping complexes and the rest from a network of 300 small-scale retailers.

Although the economy has yet to show signs it is improving, Vita Parko expects 30-per-cent sales growth this year.

Meanwhile, Health Impact Co Ltd, distributor of Kal-G supplementary food, has re-duced its marketing budget for diet and skin-care products to 50 per cent, from 80 per cent previously. At the same time, the company has increased its budget for healthcare products to 30 per cent, from 20 per cent before, due to 10-15 per-cent annual growth in that product market.

"The economic slowdown since last year has affected company sales as well as slowing down growth in the diet and skincare markets on which those sales have focused," said product manager Ing-orn Santisuk.

As a result, the company plans to focus on customer-relationship marketing and increase its budget for event activities, while reducing its budget for advertising through traditional media. Nevertheless, the company has maintained its marketing budget at 10 per cent of expected sales.