Supermarts luring customers with promotion programmes

Supermarts in HCM City are trying to cool the hot market prices by launching promotion programmes. A low price proves to be the most compelling factor of commodities in the price storm period.

Luring customers to supermarts

Thu Ba, a housewife in Tan Binh district, HCM City, brought home a lot of commodities from Big C supermart: two 5-litre cans of vegetable oil, a 4.5kg bag of Omo Comfort detergent and many kinds of food.

She said that she was able to save a lot of money by buying the products at Big C, which is running a 36-day promotion programme. Tuong An cooking oil, for example, which was previously sold at VND140,000/5-litre can, is now selling at VND128,500/can, while Omo Comfort has decreased to VND96,600/bag, down by VND7,900/bag.

Quynh Trang, Communication Director of Big C, said that within the framework of the promotion programme, the discounts of 20-50% are reserved for 300 key product items like fresh food, processed food.

Trang affirms that for some product items, Big C’s prices are 2-10% lower than the average prices on the market. The supermart chain will kick-off a second promotion campaign from June 25-July 6 worth VND3.5bil, which promises even more attractive discounts.

Co-op mart chain has also announced discounts on several hundred products. Quynh Chi, Deputy Marketing Director of Saigon Co-op, said that vegetable oil now carries a discount of VND4-8,000/bottle, fresh food 10% on average, while cosmetics VND3-4,000/product.

Hunting for suppliers who offer low prices

At Maximark on February 3 road, Phuong, an office staff, decided to use a new brand of fish sauce, which is VND4,500/bottle cheaper than the one she used before. She said that the brand of fish sauce she previously used has increased sharply in price twice, last week and this week.

Phuong Thao, Director of Maximark Cong Hoa, said that customers are changing their purchase habits. They are now not choosing well-known brand names with high prices, but less-known brand names with affordable prices. Therefore, supemarts now have to find suppliers who can provide products with low prices.

Chi said that Co-op Mart has begun selling pork products under cooperation with Dong Nai Food Processing Workshop with prices VND2,500/kg cheaper compared to the same products on the market.

Supemarts now tend to pay more attention to selling fresh food. Housewives can find all necessary things for their meals in supermarts, from vegetables to spices. Fresh food has seen the highest growth rate in sales among products. (Tuoi tre)