Vietnamese consumers spending on electronic products and appliancesreached 28 trillion VND (1.3 billion USD), a 20.9 percent increase, inthe third quarter of 2014.

Most of the productspurchased were mobile phones and earphones, which brought in sales ofmore than 12 trillion VND (561 million USD), a 28 percent year on yearrise.

Information and technology (IT) products ranked second with total sales of 5.6 trillion VND (262 million USD).

Significant growth was also seen in total sales of three majordomestic appliances: refrigerators at 15.6 percent, washing machines at15.5percent and microwave ovens at 12.8 percent.

However, sales of laptop computers declined, even as sales of tabletdevices doubled with the exception of the Apple iPad and iPad mini,which ironically experienced a sales decline in the world marketfollowing the release of Apple’s iPhone 6.

GFK,one of the world’s largest research companies, predicted Vietnam’stechnology and electronics market to continue growing in the lastquarter of the year.

The company predictedbestselling products to include the LED TV, smart phones and tabletdevices, as producers and retailers are expected to offer promotionaland sales programmes for these products during the year-end months tostimulate consumer spending.

Sales of washing machines, refrigerators and laptops are likewise expected to grow but at a low rate.-VNA