Discounts boost major department stores' sales

Discounts boost major department stores' sales

JAKARTA (JP): Department stores are enjoying big revenues
these days and competing with each other to attract more buyers
as Christmas and New Year near.

Discounts are still the most attractive way to lure buyers.
Discounts between 12 and 50 percent have been slapped on
everything from food to footwear.

The ploy has apparently been successful in doubling the number
of visitors and increasing sales. Thousands of people have
jostled their way into stores since the middle of the month.

Besides Christmas shopping, they were loath to miss out on the
sales.

Matahari Group, which has 25 of its 71 stores in Greater
Jakarta, has drawn more buyers with a month-long sale.

The store's assistant public relations manager, Sasha
Rinasanty, said on Tuesday that Matahari has projected increased
sales of up to 50 percent.

"Sales are expected to increase between 30 and 50 percent from
last year," Sasha said, adding that research shows that the
outlets are visited by one million people a day.

She expects Rp 1.4 trillion in sales this year, or Rp 600
billion more than last year.

Sasha said that the Jakarta outlets are expected to be the
biggest contributors.

Golden Truly department store is also offering discounts at
its six outlets in Jakarta.

A housewife claiming to be Golden Truly fanatic said that the
shop provided vouchers for buyers who spent a certain amount of
money. "This has become a special offer to us buyers," said the
woman, who was planning to get new shoes with the vouchers she
had collected.

Golden Truly Director H.E. Dachlan, said that the management
expects sales to rise 15 percent with their 12-to-22 percent
discount tactic.

"We expect sales to reach Rp 13 billion in December," Dahlan
said, adding that the shops usually collect Rp 12 billion a
month.

Hero, which has 18 supermarkets in the city, expects a 30
percent increase in sales stemming from their offer of prices
between 10 and 30 percent lower than original prices.

Assistant marketing manager of PT Hero Supermarket, Priatna
Suciono, said that with a total of 3,000 visitors per day, this
month's turnover is expected to increase by between 10 and 30
percent.

"This month's sales has increased 30 percent because of the
discount," he said, but refused to give more details.

He said Christmas and New Year's parcels are the main product
offered at special prices.

"The supermarket is ready to send 10,000 parcels to customers
in the capital," Priatna said, adding that the number of orders
for parcels has increased by 25 percent from 8,000 last year.

The Makro trade center, which is opened to members only, the
increase in the number of visitors has not made a difference.

"We purse a total of Rp 200 million from each store a day, or
Rp 6 billion per month," Effendi Ibnoe, Makro's human resources
and public relations director said.

Effendi said that the daily sales of Makro's four stores
dropped last month due to rainy days. However the stores expected
a 20 percent increase in the daily sales during the peak seasons
of Christmas, New Year and Idul Fitri.

Basuki Ismael, Makro's industrial relations manager, said the
trade center has 50,000 members. "But only 20,000 are active
members who visit the stores twice a month and spend an average
of Rp 150,000 each month," he said. (yns/03/29/sur)