Local retailers have apparently had little reason to be happy in the past few days. The week before the third Advent “only sporadically revived business,” said the German Trade Association (HDE) on Sunday. Overall, Christmas business has been “disappointing so far”.
Most retail companies are also dissatisfied with the third week of Advent
The industry organization referred to the results of a current survey of more than 350 companies. Accordingly, only “a little more than a fifth of the retail companies surveyed” were satisfied with the sales development in the third week of Advent. A good 60 percent, however, were dissatisfied. One reason for this was the continued “weak customer frequencies in many places” in the city centers, according to the HDE.
According to the association, the mood brightened somewhat last Saturday. “Businesses in the main business locations in particular were happier than in previous weeks,” it said in a statement. “Sales impulses have recently come from the trade in household goods, furnishings, toys and food.”
Overall, the interim results are bleak, as they were after the previous week. “Two thirds of retailers are dissatisfied with how the Christmas business has gone so far,” explained the HDE. “Only one in six companies looks back on the past few weeks with satisfaction.”
HDE managing director Genth hopes for the remaining sales days before the turn of the year
“The Christmas business is still lacking momentum this year. For the majority of retailers, disappointment predominates shortly before the holidays,” summarized HDE Managing Director Stefan Genth in a statement.
The remaining time before the turn of the year is now even more important. The “week before the fourth Advent and the sales days between the years” are “each year the highest sales phase of the Christmas business for most retailers,” emphasized Genth. “The retail sector is now entering its final spurt. Business usually picks up again, especially shortly before and after the holidays.”