For many years, wealthy Vietnamese consumers have the habit of flying to Singapore in the morning to buy branded products and return to Vietnam later the same day because they can find products they want there. 

However, HCM City authorities have decided that big sale promotion programs will be run regularly in the city. If so, instead of having to pay for air tickets, buyers can buy branded products in HCM City, and at reasonable prices.

The HCM City Industry and Trade Department on September 5 held a press conference announcing the organization of such an event.

The department’s Nguyen Khac Hieu said that in order to turn HCM City into a shopping center of the country and the region, and attract travelers, HCM City needs to organize big events regularly.

“Why do Vietnamese consumers in general and HCM City’s in particular, especially women have to fly to Singapore?” he asked. 

“This is because there are many big sale promotion events in Singapore, where high-quality and branded products are put up for sale at annual trade promotion seasons,” he said.

“Consumers, when looking at products they buy, will immediately know that these are sales products,” he continued, adding that sale campaigns must be substantial. 

“You must not raise the price of a product from VND500,000 to VND800,000 and then state that you offer big discounts to clients when selling it at VND490,000."

With this motto, Flash Sale Holiday, an event to promote branded goods sale, will be organized for the first time in HCM City, expected to last three days, on September 8-10

Flash Sale Holiday will gather 120 strong brands. A wide range of branded products will be on sale at attractive discount rates, thus creating a ‘shopping effect’ and luring travelers. 

It is expected that 90 percent of branded goods to be displayed will bear international brands. The products will be sold by authorized exclusive distributors. 

Asked about the difficulties in organizing the event, the deputy director of the HCM City Industry and Trade Department Nguyen Nguyen Phuong said distributors can only partially make decisions on selling prices. The sharp discounts must be decided by the producers and brand owners.

The enterprises adjusts the selling prices of their branded goods globally, following a methodical sales strategy under which discounts are offered at different moments and countries, depending on production plans.

In general, strong global brands just seek markets with suitable distribution systems and large duty-free shops. Thus, it is difficult for agencies to participate in the sales promotion program.

Tran Chung