Rich consumers spend big on pricey hobby supplies

Sales of ultra-high priced hobby supplies, including high-end cameras, are sharply increasing at local department stores, hinting that consumer sentiment is picking up, local department stores said Tuesday. Hyundai Department Store, South Korea's third largest department store chain, said the monthly average sales of Leica cameras, whose price per unit ranges from 10 million won (US$9,315) to 20 million won, came to 110 million won between August and September. The daily sales of the cameras rose 89.4 percent in September compared with the previous month, the department said. The sales of high-priced audio equipment, including Goldmund's luxury audio equipment, priced at 10 million won a unit to 100 million won, rose 30 percent between August and September. Sales of Cavalleria Toscana, a high-priced horse-riding clothing brand, rose 31.1 percent in September from a month ago. Shinsegae Department Store, the second-largest department store chain, said that it saw the sales of high-priced imported audio equipment, including Bang & Olufsen audio, with a price tag of up to tens of millions of won soar in recent months. Lotte Department Store, the largest department store chain, said that it enjoyed brisk sales of high-priced gadgets for making coffee and headphones in recent months. Galleria Department Store, which especially focuses on selling luxury goods, said 10 VESPAs, a scooter priced at 6 million won a unit to 7 million won, have sold since May. "The number of fresh VIP customers looking for the high-priced brands has been on the increase from the second half of the year and the sales of the brands are increasing," an industry source said.