Retailers anticipate business to pick up in year-end shopping season

Retailers in Vietnam are increasing inventory and have launched promotions in anticipation of opportunities in the year-end shopping season, as there are just over two months left until the Lunar New Year (Tet) – the biggest festival in a year of Vietnamese people.
Retailers anticipate business to pick up in year-end shopping season ảnh 1Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Retailers in Vietnam are increasing inventory and have launched promotions in anticipation of opportunities in the year-end shopping season, as there are just over two months left until the Lunar New Year (Tet) – the biggest festival in a year of Vietnamese people.

Experts predict that from now until the end of this year, retail sales of goods and services may increase again as the domestic economy is gradually recovering and disbursement of public investment continues to be promoted.

It is forecast that consumer demand for essential goods will surge during the Lunar New Year, so many businesses have implemented plans to stock up on goods and negotiate with suppliers to ensure supplies.

Keeping pace with the market, major retailers such as Saigon Co.op, Aeon, Lotte Mart, Winmart, MM Mega Market have been continuously conducting major promotions in all commodity groups.

On November 24-25, Ha Noi Midnight Sale, a large-scale promotion event, attracted about 2.4 million shoppers who enjoyed more than 3,000 promotion programmes worth over 25 trillion VND (1.03 billion USD), up 20% over last year’s edition.

This year, it drew about 200 businesses, trade centres and producers, and fashion brands. There were over 10 million visits to the online shopping website.

A highlight of the event is a flash sale display area at Big C Thang Long supermarket with the participation of nearly 20 brands offering discount of up to 70%.

A representative from Big C stated that the supermarket experienced a significant spike in visits, almost 230% higher than on other days of the week.

The Winmart chain also reported a 140% increase in sales and visits compared to other days of the week.

Japan's AEON reported that sales and foot traffic at AEON Mall Ha Dong and AEON Mall Long Bien malls increased by nearly 200% during the three-day event. The website and mobile app traffic for shopping also nearly tripled compared to regular weekdays.

Vu Thanh Son, General Director of the Hanoi Trading Corporation (Hapro), said that to meet increasing consumer demand during the Lunar New Year 2024, Hapro's affiliated units and member company have made plans to reserve goods worth up to 1 trillion VND (41.2 million USD).

Retailers anticipate business to pick up in year-end shopping season ảnh 2Promotions offered at Big C (Photo: VNA)

The Big C supermarket chain shared that since September, the unit signed agreements with partners to supply goods for Tet with a 20% increase in volume compared to the previous Tet.

At the Co.op Mart supermarket system, the amount of goods to serve Tet will rise by about 30% over the same period last year and 50% compared to normal days.

According to Le Viet Nga, Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the ministry will continue to coordinate to closely monitor market developments, ensure sufficient supply of essential goods, especially during holidays and Tet, to prevent product shortages or price wars./.

VNA

See more

The Vietnamese section of the Monsoon – Thanh My 500kV transmission line project (Photo: VNA)

500kV transmission line from Laos energised

The Monsoon – Thanh My 500kV transmission line project is designed to import electricity from Laos’ Monsoon wind power plant to Vietnam, adding 600 MW to the national power grid during the 2024–2025 period.​

The entrance gate to Hanoi’s Ciputra Urban Area, where banks are selling apartments and villas. (Photo: cafef.vn)

Banks selling mortgaged assets to recover bad debts

The Viet Dragon Securities Company (VDSC) said that bad debts might continue to increase slightly this year, after a circular allowing banks to reschedule debt repayment periods and maintain the debt group for certain sectors expired at the end of 2024.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Bui Van Nghi (th fourth from the fright) in the meeting with Governor of Brazil's Espirito Santo state Renato Casagrande. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam seeks to set up cooperation with Brazilian locality

In his meeting with Governor of Brazil's Espirito Santo Renato Casagrande, Ambassador to Argentina Bui Van Nghi Bui Van Nghi valued the potential for cooperation between the two sides, particularly in priority areas such as tourism, information technology, hi-tech agriculture, and seaport.

Remittances to Vietnam in 2024 are estimated at about 16 billion USD, maintaining the record-high levels seen in 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Remittances surge as Tet approaches

According to the State Bank of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City branch, 9.6 billion USD, or 60% of the total remittances, flew through financial institutions, representing a 140 million USD increase from the previous year.

Bank lending in HCM City achieves high growth last year. (Photo courtesy of ABBANK)

Banks' credit up 11.3% in HCM City in 2024

Total outstanding loans of credit institutions in Ho Chi Minh City as of the end of last year were worth over 3.9 quadrillion VND (153.3 billion USD), a 11.3% increase for the year, according to the central bank.

Ho Chi Minh City received nearly 493 million USD in remittances in the first 20 days of this year. (Photo: https://doanhnhansaigon.vn)

Remittances to HCM City surge ahead of Tet

Ho Chi Minh City received nearly 493 million USD in remittances in the first 20 days of this year, according to Nguyen Duc Lenh, Deputy Director of the State Bank of Vietnam's HCM City branch.

Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)

Retail petrol prices down in latest adjustment

The price of E5RON92 bio-fuel was priced at 20,592 VND (0.82 USD) per litre, representing a 158 VND decrease from the previous baseline, while RON95-III decreased to 21,142 VND per litre, down 78 VND.