Shanghai retailers were the big winners from this year's May Day holiday - the majority of sales were clothes, food and home appliances.
Sales by the city's 299 major retailers hit 1.83 billion yuan (US$221 million) from May 1 until yesterday which was in line with expectations.
The holiday sales figures were an increase of 52.7 percent from the same period last year when the city's retail businesses were trapped in a national SARS outbreak,
Shanghai Economic Commission reported yesterday.
On
Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, China's premier shopping street, 66 major retailers enjoyed sales of 213 million yuan, a rise of 144.9 percent from last year, said the commission.
The Yuyuan Garden shopping area took sales of 61.3 million yuan in the past week, up 138.4 percent on last year.
"Holiday sales were very good during the week especially for the city's department stores, restaurants and home appliance retailers," said Chen Yuxian, an official with the commission.
Chen admitted, however, that sales were not as positive as previous Spring Festival and National Day holidays.
"Sales from this year have balanced out other years," he said.
Department stores were hit hard last year by a dramatic drop in sales caused by the SARS outbreak.
Seventy major department stores posted 631.1 million yuan sales, 83.4 percent more than a year ago.
Hotels and restaurants saw sales jump by 127.5 percent to reach 96.5 million yuan.
Tourism and wedding receptions fueled the large earnings.
"At major hotels and restaurants, sales of wedding meals were more than three times the level from last year," said Luo Hong, a researcher with
Shanghai Commercial Information Center.
Home appliances were among the best sellers.
The New World City, a major department store on
Nanjing Road, said sales of color TV sets were popular purchases.
The city's three major home appliance retailers, Yongle, Gome and Suning reported a combined sales of 620 million yuan in the holidays.
The city's entertainment facilities were always crowded during the holiday.
At Xujiahui area, the Xinhua Bookstore reported sales growth of 204.6 percent from last year, while the Paradise Warner Cinema City there said its sales jumped by 136.3 percent from a year ago. The Kodak Cinema World reported double sales from a year ago.
