ETMall, a subsidiary of Eastern Media International Corporation (2614), today (11th) announced that its consolidated revenues (including Strawberrynet and Mama Bear Shopping) in February amounted to NT$2.27 billion, up 7.6% year-on-year (YoY); in addition, its consolidated net profit before tax reached NT$160 million, up 38.4% from the same period last year, with an EPS of NT$1.23. The net profit before tax broke the company’s all-time record for the same period. ETMall’s consolidated net profit before tax in January and February reached NT$390 million, up 23.7% from the same period last year. EPS reached NT$3.04, setting a new record again. Based on past experience, the Lunar New Year holiday has been a festival with a relatively larger impact on sales. However, as consumers have become accustomed to online shopping, ETMall decided to roll out non-stop service during the Lunar New Year holiday. Furthermore, rainy and chilly weather conditions brought on by cold fronts during the Lunar New Year holiday drove the demand for products that keep people warm through the roof. Business opportunities associated with dieting, physical exercise, back-to-school shopping and Women’s Day at the conclusion of the Lunar New Year period further boosted February’s revenue.

Here’s a further performance breakdown by various platforms and channels. Mama Bear Shopping, which heavily promoted fresh produce, turned in a stellar performance while recording a YoY revenue increase of 126.8%, which could be mostly attributable to an uptick in food purchase driven by the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival. Business opportunities associated with the stay-at-home economy continued to drive up online shopping sales capacity. Sales from online shopping in February were up 15% from the same period last year. In particular, mobile shopping accounted for 70% of all online shopping sales.

According to statistics by ETMall, health supplements, household items, and mobile/3C (cellphones, tablets, and computers) products were the top three categories in the sales chart. Sales of health supplements even reached NT$550 million. In particular, AJIOU’s Calendula Officinalis Lutein Phospholipid Capsules and YM Biomed’s Special For You were the top selling items, indicating that consumers value their vision and eyecare. In terms of sales growth compared with the same period a year ago, cosmetic and body beauty vouchers topped the chart with a five-fold growth. In particular, Eastern Natural Beauty’s Aurora Water Acoustic Wave treatment was the top choice for women who wished to look beautiful, followed by sales of women’s underwear, furniture, and women-oriented items such as women’s clothing and baby care products, which enjoyed an increase between 1.5 folds and 2 folds. Female consumers accounted for more than 70% of all shoppers.

In order to increase members’ stability and adhesion, ETMall has issued “ET coins.” So far, 22.2 billion coins have been issued. In the meantime, various ET coin games have been rolled out to increase member participation and interaction. “ET coin Future Event Prediction” will also be launched on March 14 (Monday), with predictions on current affairs and surveys thrown in. Members can participate in the prediction using ET coins, with 10 coins wagered per prediction .For example:  Will the CTBC Brothers beat Uni-President Lions again at the CPBL season opener? Members who place a wager are eligible to enter a lucky draw, and prizes include AirPods and Apple Watches, etc.

ETMall has actively developed products where it deals directly with the manufacturers. “Eastern Farm CooKing Kits,” which launched last year, have won the food industry’s version of the Michelin Awards: iTQi’s Superior Taste Award. Furthermore, the Sautéed Beef with Black Pepper Kit was awarded Two Stars by iTQi, while the Clam Seafood Kit won iTQi’s One Star award. A whopping 750,000 kits have been sold since they hit the market 10 months ago, and accumulated sales have spiked to nearly NT$42 million, making them the top-selling non-frozen pre-cooked products distributed by ETMall.

Aside from the Women’s Day sales period, there is still White Valentine’s Day (March 14) in March. Targeting the women’s market, ETMall rolled out the “Queen’s Day” shopping discounts on March 10 (Thursday). A total of 1,000 gift cards will be given away for orders of NT$25,000 or more across all platforms. Consumers who place their orders with apps while meeting the required total purchase amount will be awarded an additional 300 ET coins. Discounts of up to 70% off are offered for stellar moisturizer products in the Cosmetic Hall. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, which usually retails for NT$6,250, sells for only NT$3,250 during the campaign. De Mon Purity Cleansing Balm with Calendula (set of six bottles), which retails for NT$7,680 on the market, is available for purchase for only NT$2,260 on ETMall. As part of an all-out effort to grab a bigger piece of the shopping pie, super value deals and discounts have been offered for products from 3C items, home appliances, daily necessities to baby care products. Sales are projected to grow by 30%.