Major domestic home appliance chains are giving consumers a pleasant summer surprise by cutting prices of air conditioners to boost sales during the year's best-selling season.

The move reverses earlier efforts by domestic air-conditioner makers to raise prices to pass along high raw-material prices to consumers.

Gome Electrical Appliances, the country's largest home appliance chain, said Wednesday that it would slash prices of air conditioners by up to 20 percent at its more than 450 stores nationwide.

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