Pantip targets Bt3 billion from 9day sale

Thippattana Arcade, the owner and operator of Pantip Plaza stores in the Pratunam area and on Ngarmwongwan Road, said the nineday event starting on November 1 was aimed at boosting spending amid the current economic and political woes.

Managing director Wisanu Wangwisut said the company was spending Bt10 million to promote "Pantip Hot Sales 2008" and the 1,200 shops doing business at the two IT centres. He hopes the event will allow storeowners to clear their stocks by the end of the year.

"We believe the power to purchase IT consumer products is still out there even though we're in an economic and political crisis," he said. "Customers believe they can get cheaper prices at 'Pantip Hot Sales'."

The events are normally held three times a year - in February, July and November - and each time sales increase 2025 per cent.

"Each time, we generate about Bt3 billion from the two branches, so we plan to do that again next month - Bt2 billion from Pantip Plaza Pratunam and Bt1 billion from Pantip Plaza Ngarmwongwan," Wisanu said.

Thippattana Arcade general manager Yongyuth Chaichana said the main feature of next month's "Pantip Hot Sale" would be discounts averaging 30 per cent from all 1,200 shops in the two branches.

The main sponsors include Intel, HewlettPackard, Acer and Canon, as well as bank and creditcard operators like Citibank, Kasikornbank and Krungthai Card, which will provide promotions and instalment payment options.

There will be a lucky laptop draw each day, with one coupon for the draw awarded to customers for every Bt2,000 they spend in the plazas.

Activities will include an Innovation Fashion Show; a Robot Soccer Show; eTalk, on the subject of "IT Brain Gadgets", by specialists from IT vendors like Intel, Acer, HP, Canon and Sony; and an auction of IT products at a starting price of only Bt1, with proceeds going to the Pantip for Children project.

"Special financial promotions include zero interest on purchases of Bt15,000 from Citibank and a free MK voucher, and there's a chance to win a lucky draw for a BangkokMacau air ticket each day," Yongyuth said.

Normally, about 30,000 people visit Pantip Plaza on weekdays and 40,000 on weekend days. About 65 per cent of the products sold in Pantip Plaza are hardware, accessories and network equipment, while the rest is software.