Health Keyword for Department Store Sales
By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
Luxury goods remained this year's top sales items at local department stores with health-related products coming in second for customer purchases throughout the year, according to sales reports.
Sales of luxury goods increased by 32.4 percent in the January-to-November period year-on-year at Lotte Department Store and 55.9 percent at Shinsegae Department Store, topping all other items. They also had the largest rise in sale last year in the biggest three chains, including Hyundai Department Store.
While pricey brand-name products enjoyed un-waning popularity, a lot of shoppers also splashed out on sports goods and health food products.
Growing health concerns amid the rapid spread of influenza A (H1N1) led to soaring demand for items such as red ginseng and vitamins, while outdoor apparel and sports shoes also sold well on the back of a fast-growing number of ``walkaholics'' ― those into walking as a way of exercising.
At Lotte, health food sales rose by 28.8 percent from last year, only trailing luxury goods. Vitamin products led the overall sales in the category in the first half, with red ginseng following as the top sales item as its medicinal benefits of allegedly strengthening the immune system appealed to customers in fear of the raging epidemic, Lotte said.
Health food sales also soared 24.7 percent at Shinsegae, the third-largest sales growth following luxury goods and cosmetics.
The popularity of sports equipment is attributable to recent interest in outdoor activities, including the sweeping walking craze. Growth in sports-related items posted fourth at Lotte at 22.7 percent, and third at Hyundai at 13.1 percent this year.
Owing to its recent popularity, sales of walking shoes showed sharp growth in the overall sales of sports products. Data from the Korea Walking Association show sales of those specialized goods have shot up over 40 percent on the local market over the past few years.
Sales of walking shoes are expected to surpass 400 billion won ($346.3 million) this year, about 10 percent of the entire shoe market, as makers release a new line of products aimed at the leisure activity.
Some related items such as sportswear also enjoyed better sales from a year earlier thanks to the boom, the industry says.
Department stores said the outbreak of the new influenza triggered sales of certain items, but it was the focus on the importance of staying healthy that really helped sales of health products.
``From sales this year, awareness on health and well-being appears to have prevailed here,'' a spokesman from Lotte Department Store said.
With signs of the economic rebound slowly appearing, sales of leisure and sports products are expected to rise further during the winter sales period, which started late last month.