Blyth sales drop - Westfair Communications

In response to the recession, Blyth Inc. has introduced lower-priced products in a bid to rekindle sales.

Greenwich-based Blyth sells home goods such as candles and foodstuffs, using both traditional catalogs and a network of agents that organize parties to sell products. In the first fiscal quarter ending April 30, sales were off 6 percent to $202 million, but the company registered a $4.5 million profit.

“We continued to experience downward sales pressure in our U.S. business units during the first quarter, driven by a sales decline in PartyLite U.S. as party cancellations continued to trend above historical rates; and active independent sales consultants declined from prior year levels,” CEO Robert Goergen, said in a statement. “Management has moved aggressively to incorporate more value-priced products into the portfolio.”