Christmas slows down sales decline of electronics and home appliances

Sales of durables last year dropped by 42.6%, to 1.42bn euros. In the IT sector, sales fell by 53.5% in the last quarter of last year from a year before, to 120m euros, according to a report by GfK Romania market research company on the trend of durables sales in 2009. IT product sales declined by 51.6% in 2009, one of the worst performing sectors among those monitored by GfK. The biggest slump last year, of 53.8%, was registered on the segment of office equipment. The telecom equipment market went down by 33.7% from Q4, 2008, to 73m euros. In 2009, Romanians acquired large electrical home appliances worth 334m euros, down 37% from 2008. Winter holiday sales saved the fourth quarter, though, with the value of sold large appliances amounting to 93m euros, up 66% from Q3. Sales of small electrical home appliances in 2009 slipped by 23.6%, reaching 71m euros. The photo segment contracted by 45% in 2009, mainly on the weak performance of the compact segment, according to GfK.