Christmas business is booming despite the crisis: buyers are cautious!

Christmas business is booming despite the crisis: buyers are cautious!

In the first two weeks of Advent, retail in Austria literally exceeded expectations! “We are very satisfied with the start of the Advent season,” explained Rainer Will, managing director of the trade association. Despite a public holiday, December 8th, and fewer shopping days, the association expects sales growth of a whopping seven percent if the months of November and January are also taken into account. The reason for the increased footfall in stores could be the cold weather, which is drawing people to warm places to shop, they said NOP.

Looking forward to Christmas business despite uncertainties

In Germany, however, the Christmas business is less rosy. The high inflation rates and global crises are causing uncertainty among customers, as trade association boss Stefahn Genth said in an interview t online emphasized. Although people in city centers enjoy the festive atmosphere of the Christmas markets, purchasing behavior remains cautious. The industry is in turmoil: While customers have often been generous in previous years, this year they are restricting themselves and preferring to invest less out of fear for their economic security.

Nevertheless, there is hope that the Advent season will take a positive turn. Genth is optimistic and expects a slight increase in sales of 1.3 percent in the Christmas business. One reason for this is the strong Advent weekends that have become a tradition, during which an average of around 300 euros per person is spent on gifts. Trendy products such as small luxury items and board games could help motivate customers and stimulate their shopping instinct - which is exactly what the industry needs right now! Despite the uncertainties, many companies are confident that they can increase their sales during the holidays.