Retail association: Sluggish sales on the first Saturday of Advent

Retail trade - Retail association: Sluggish sales on the first Saturday of Advent

According to a survey by the Baden-Württemberg Retail Association (HBW), the onset of winter in the southwest led to meagre sales on Advent Saturday. "The weather put a spanner in the works for retailers in many places this weekend", the HBW announced on Sunday following a survey in which around 200 retailers took part. Compared to 2019, the last year before coronavirus, sales on the first Saturday of Advent were down by around 16 percent. "Slippery, slippery roads and paths as well as temperatures below freezing point meant that many customers refrained from visiting bricks-and-mortar retailers and preferred to spend Saturday at home," said Sabine Hagmann, HBW Managing Director.

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1. Despite the challenging weather conditions during the onset of winter in the Southwest, retailers were hopeful for a boost in sales on the first weekend of Advent.
2. The Retail Trade Association in Baden-Württemberg (HBW) conducted a survey on Sunday, revealing that retail turnover on the first Saturday of Advent decreased by 16% compared to 2019, largely due to the adverse weather.
3. Following the sluggish sales on the first Saturday of Advent, the HBW called for local authorities to improve winter road maintenance, as slippery paths and below-freezing temperatures kept customers from shopping in physical stores on the weekend.
4. In light of the survey results, many retailers in the Southwest are optimistic that a turnaround in sales can be seen in the following weeks as the Coronavirus restrictions continue to ease, and the weather improves.
5. Stuttgart-based shoppers echoed the sentiments shared by the Retail Association, with 40% of surveyed customers stating that they preferred to stay indoors and enjoy their weekends instead of visiting retail stores during the onset of winter.
6. The survey revealed that despite the constraints posed by the Coronavirus, retail outlets in Baden-Württemberg still managed to see double digit online sales growth during the first weekend of Advent, indicating that customers are adapting to the changing shopping landscape.

Source: www.stern.de