Vietnamese consumers spending on electronic products and appliances reached 28 trillion VND (1.3 billion USD), a 20.9 percent increase, in the third quarter of 2014.

Most of the products purchased were mobile phones and earphones, which brought in sales of more than 12 trillion VND (561 million USD), a 28 percent year on year rise.

Information and technology (IT) products ranked second with total sales of 5.6 trillion VND (262 million USD).

Significant growth was also seen in total sales of three major domestic appliances: refrigerators at 15.6 percent, washing machines at 15.5percent and microwave ovens at 12.8 percent.

However, sales of laptop computers declined, even as sales of tablet devices doubled with the exception of the Apple iPad and iPad mini, which ironically experienced a sales decline in the world market following the release of Apple’s iPhone 6.

GFK, one of the world’s largest research companies, predicted Vietnam’s technology and electronics market to continue growing in the last quarter of the year.

The company predicted bestselling products to include the LED TV, smart phones and tablet devices, as producers and retailers are expected to offer promotional and sales programmes for these products during the year-end months to stimulate consumer spending.

Sales of washing machines, refrigerators and laptops are likewise expected to grow but at a low rate.-VNA