Air conditioner sales cool down

End of supportive subsidies blamed as profits hit by rises in raw material, labor costs. When 35-year-old Yuan Bao stepped into a Dazhong Electronics store in the Changping district of Beijing, he found he was the only customer in the three-floor home appliance outlet. "I was really surprised because the only people in the store were salespersons," said Yuan. The public servant said he wanted to buy two air conditioners after redecorating his old apartment but found it hard to find a salesperson to talk to.