Sales of TVs at The Mall Group’s Power Mall shrank 20% in the first five months of 2013, compared to the same period last year. The drop, worth an estimate THB4 billion, was blamed on the ambiguity of the digital TV licensing auction framework set up by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
Power Mall chief merchandising officer Chakkrit Keeratichockchaikul told Matichon that the NBTC’s indecisiveness caused TV manufacturers to halt their product launches and consumers to decelerate their decision making, resulting in a sluggish retail environment.
In the fist half of this year, Power Mall’s sales will grow three-to-four percent behind its target.
The NBTC’s digital TV licenses are aimed at balancing dominance between free TV channels and satellite channels. The licensing auction will be held between August and September, but no exact date is yet to be announced.
