German Retail Trade in Germany not Satisfied with the Pre-Christmas Sales so Far
German retailers are not satisfied with the pre-Christmas sales so far. In the week before the third Advent, sales figures reported by the German Retail Trade Association (HDE) showed the weakest sales in the pre-Christmas period to date.
Customer frequencies and sales remained below the numbers of the corresponding previous year’s week. “Customer numbers and sales were below last year’s at the majority of retailers” said HDE CEO Stefan Genth. “As a result, the pre-Christmas business took a breather in many places.”
More than two-thirds of the surveyed companies reported a decline in visitor numbers compared to the previous year. This was particularly common in central city centers and commercial areas. Only a few companies reported significant sales boosts on the previous Saturday. Even among retailers in the categories with traditionally high pre-Christmas sales, such as toys, books, and electronics, only 20% of the surveyed companies were satisfied with the sales development in the past week.
In total, one in six respondents views the pre-Christmas sales so far as positive. Retailers with watches, jewelry, household goods, and food, in particular, showed a higher level of satisfaction. “The retail trade now hopes for a strong finish. Experience has shown that the last days before Christmas are usually the strongest of the year” Genth said.
The HDE expects a total of €121.4 billion in retail sales in Germany for November and December this year, a nominal increase of 1.3% compared to the previous year.