Source: Yicai Global

(Yicai Global) Aug. 29 -- Chinese electrical appliance retailer Gome Retail Holdings Ltd., formerly Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd., posted a net-profit decline of 1.61 percent to USD18.44 million (CNY122 million) in the first half on higher costs. The company introduced its Gome Plus app in the first half to boost mobile terminal retail business.

The group’s loans in the first half totaled USD2.42 billion, compared with USD967.54 million in the same period last year, Gome said yesterday. The enterprise reported sales revenue of USD5.76 billion, up 7.82 percent annually.

Online retail remained Gome’s main driver of growth. Its retail sales in the first half grew by 22.87 percent, of which online e-commerce revenue increased 54.24 percent, while offline store revenue rose 2.34 percent.

Gome acquired Meixin Network Technology Co., which is mainly engaged in Gome Plus app development, during the reporting period.

The app has three core functions -- social, e-commerce, and interest sharing. Through online and offline integration, the platform will link the firm’s 160 million users and help them find their favorite goods using cloud computing and big data.