Sales of home electrical appliances at big retailers fell 2.5 percent in October from a year earlier to 169.8 billion yen, marking the second consecutive month of decline, the Nippon Electric Big-Stores Association said Monday.
Association officials blamed the drop on a slump in sales of personal computers, cell phones and audio equipment.
"Demand prospects remain uncertain, and sales are likely to remain flat for some time," an official said.
In value terms, sales of video products fell 26.8 percent, cell phones slid 16 percent, audio equipment dropped 12.4 percent, and PCs slipped 8.7 percent. But sales of TVs rose 5.2 percent for the seventh consecutive monthly rise, thanks to strong demand for flat-screen models, the association said.
Sales of DVD-related products rose 56.1 percent, it added.