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Belle Maison is a joint venture with three parties: Sahapat Group; Senshukai, a mail order catalogue firm in Japan; and a trading firm under the Mitsui Group. The company last year generated revenue of Bt150 million.

Managing director Sukhontharat Nitthisirisakool said yesterday the company's revenue in the first quarter rose 25 per cent from the same quarter last year. She attributed this to high oil prices and the addition of new product items from Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand.

"Thai consumers have more understanding of direct buying via catalogues and realise it is more convenient than to go out shopping. We see the high oil price situation as an opportunity for the company this year," she said.

In the early months of this year, Belle Maison introduced two new catalogues - "Mama & Baby" and "Inner Collection" - aimed at penetrating niche markets.

Sahapat Group supplies 80 per cent of products advertised in Mama & Baby and 100 per cent in Inner Collection, she said.

Sukhontharat said Belle Maison had increased the number of Belle Maison catalogues from 80,000 copies to 120,000 this year. The Belle Maison catalogue is launched every two months. The company has raised Belle Maison's mini-catalogue, launched monthly, from 50,000 to 300,000 copies.  

However, printing costs this year have soared by 150 per cent through the increase in catalogue copies. The company has also increased its marketing budget by 100 per cent from last year.

Sukhontharat said Belle Maison had lifted its members from 170,000 last year and was expecting to reach 200,000 this year by enlarging its target group through Sahapat Group's business network and partners. Sales revenue per bill last year was Bt1,400 and has increased to Bt1,600 today.