Dept. stores begin 2009 business with price-cuts

TOKYO, Jan. 2 Kyodo -
Major department stores kicked off their business for 2009 on Friday, cutting
prices to attract increasingly thrifty consumers amid a recessionary economy.
On offer were traditional lucky bags, which some stores let customers cram full
of practical products such as canned food or vegetables. Winter bargain sales
were also under way at some outlets.
Officials at department store operator Mitsukoshi Ltd. said shoppers queued up
for lucky bags at its Nihonbashi store in Chuo Ward, downtown Tokyo, and a
total of 1,300 bags priced at 15,000 yen each were sold out in about one hour.
Takashimaya Co., which announced in December a downward revision for its 2008
business projections, began selling winter clothes and products at a 20 to 30
percent discount.
The bargain sale is aimed at making up for sluggish sales at the end of last
year, with consumers apparently waiting for markdowns, according to company
officials.
Aeon LakeTown, one of the nation's largest shopping malls opened by supermarket
operator Aeon Co. last October in Saitama Prefecture, saw about 12,000 people
line up in front of the store on New Year's day Thursday waiting for the doors
to open. But per-capa spending has been on a down note, spokesmen said.
==Kyodo
2009-01-02 21:14:45