Bangkok Post

CPN, partners sink B1bn into mammoth sale

SET-listed Central Pattana (CPN), along with Central Group and partners, will invest over 1 billion baht to hold a major sale event to boost sales in the second and third quarters, aiming for a 25-30% increase in customer traffic across all its branches nationwide.

Nattakit Tangpoonsi­nthana, CPN’s chief marketing officer, said “The Greatest Grand Sales 2024” event would offer discounts of up to 80%, attracting both foreign and domestic shoppers.

“We aim to establish ourselves as a leading sale destinatio­n, competing with establishe­d Asian shopping hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore that often attract Asian travellers including Thais,” he said.

This year’s event, running from June 7 to July 31, across all the company’s branches nationwide would boast a wider selection of participat­ing outlets and brands.

Compared to last year’s 9,000 outlets and 16,000 brands, the 2024 event will feature 12,000 outlets and 25,000 brands.

He said the grand sale would boost sentiment amid a lower consumer confidence index, fuelled by a slower-than-expected economic recovery due to the delay of the government’s budget, the high cost of living and high level of household debt.

Piyawan Leelasompo­p, head of corporate marketing at Central Retail Corporatio­n Plc, said purchases made by foreign visitors are expected to surge in line with the anticipate­d rise in tourist arrivals in the second and third quarters.

“At our Phuket branch, Russians were the biggest spenders, followed by the Chinese at CentralWor­ld. Tourists from the Middle East

‘‘ We aim to establish ourselves as a leading sale destinatio­n, competing with establishe­d Asian shopping hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore. NATTAKIT TANGPOONSI­NTHANA Chief marketing officer, CPN

came third,” she said.

When examining the proportion of traffic, the Samui branch saw the largest proportion of foreign shoppers, accounting for 60%, followed by Phuket (50%) and Pattaya (50%).

At CentralWor­ld, f oreign shoppers accounted for 38% of all traffic, but represente­d 50% in terms of sales.

The location that recorded the highest level of spending among Thai shoppers was the Chidlom branch and Central Embassy, where spending by Thais was significan­tly higher than spending by foreigners.

Ms Piyawan said sales from omnichanne­l among Thai shoppers was on the rise, accounting for 19% of the total in the first quarter this year, compared with just 10% last year. This proportion is expected to grow throughout the remainder of the year.