• 
• 

Published on March 31, 2008

Apichart Assavapokee, chief merchandising officer at The Mall Group, said the market was expected to intensify as major players have launched aggressive campaigns to gain share.

These include price reductions, free installation and maintenance and zero-interest instalment plans that stretch from four to 10 months.

Unlike previous years, many players are now launching more economical models to attract customers more concerned about price and function.

Apichart said Power Mall - The Mall Group's retail department for electrical goods - expected sales of its air-conditioners to grow between 5 per cent and 7 per cent this year to 16,000 units. He said Power Mall sold 15,000 air-conditioners last year, marking a 17-per-cent annual rise.

Power Buy expects sales to increase by 10 per cent this year. Sa-angtip Amornchat, vice president for marketing, said the market this year would not be as good as last year.

"The hot weather came a bit late this year, starting from just two weeks ago," he said. Consumption is also much slower than last year as shoppers are more re luctant to spend money.

"Many retailers, including Power Buy, have joined with air-conditioner suppliers to hold promotional events to encourage consumers to buy," said Sa-angtip. He added that according to research company GFK, the market is expected to grow by 10 per cent to 850,000 units, worth Bt18.7 billion.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation