Black Friday in Klagenfurt: Opportunities and concerns open to sales and worries

Black Friday in Klagenfurt: Opportunities and concerns open to sales and worries

Next Friday, November 29, retail will benefit from the "Black Friday" again, an event that is celebrated in the USA after Thanksgiving and is now also known in Europe. In Klagenfurt, the trade transactions are ready for a rush of customers who are looking for tempting offers. But while the anticipation of special offers is growing, there is also a dark side of this rush week that cannot be ignored.

On a tour of the city center of Klagenfurt, it is impossible to overlook the numerous empty shops. Six free shops were counted in the old square alone. The picture on Bahnhofstrasse and its side streets presented itself similarly. The absence of aftermills often has to do with the high rents and the associated circumstances. The purchasing power of the population has dropped sharply through the recession, which many leads to hunting bargains at Black Friday.

challenges for traditional business

Some of the traditional shops in downtown Klagenfurt see themselves in a dilemma. Although a fashion boutique wants to take part in the Black Friday with a small range, it is limited due to the new goods that cannot be sold at reduced prices. Another owner describes the situation as follows: "We cannot afford to sell the new winter collections with a 20 percent discount." This shows the skepticism compared to the day of action, which is not an advantage for all retailers.

Not all business, however, pull in the head. In the Südpark Center, on the other hand, the Black Friday is celebrated as a starting signal for the Christmas business. Manager Heinz Achatz explains: "All shops take part and offer various discounts. Without this day, the Christmas business would not go so well." Many consumers have been planned for a long time to get good offers, especially in the area of ​​electronics and telecommunications.

market change through online competition

The competition from online giants such as Amazon and other platforms forces stationary trade to adapt. Achatz emphasizes that the Black Friday now plays such a central role that it has become indispensable for local trade. Ernst Hofbauer, the Center Manager of the City Arkaden, also sees it: "The Black Friday has long been an integral part of European trade and is crucial for companies." Here, too, almost all shops do strong discounts to keep up with the online offers.

The Black Friday and the advancing digitization of trade thus become a test stone for the future of inpatient trade. It remains an exciting question of how the local retail in Klagenfurt will develop in the coming months and years.