Month-long shopping festival sees strong growth
Retail sales during Shanghai's month-long shopping festival rose 9.7 percent year on year with strong growth of night time sales as shopping malls extended business hours, the Shanghai Commission of Commerce said today.
The festival, part of the Shanghai Tourism Festival, included dining, entertainment, and cultural exhibitions in 16 districts, with more than 2,000 commercial companies and nearly 40,000 outlets attracting shoppers.
Sales at key retailers rose 9.7 percent during the month-long festival that started September 8, the commission said in a statement.
Night time sales rose 16.8 percent year-on-year and the number of visitors rose 20.8 percent.
Shopping malls, especially those near metro line stations, extended business hours during the festival as metro lines extended operation to midnight on weekend nights.