Two weeks until Christmas. The retail trade is “cautiously optimistic” that more customers will come at the weekend and sales will increase. Opening on Sundays is supposed to boost business in some cities.
Düsseldorf (dpa/lnw) – The retail trade in North Rhine-Westphalia expects more customers and higher sales on the third weekend in Advent than on the first two weekends in the Christmas business. “We expect an increase in frequency and hope that sales will pick up. There is still room for improvement for many retailers,” said the spokeswoman for the NRW trade association, Carina Peretzke, of the German Press Agency. Sales are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. Some customers are also reluctant to buy because of the increased energy costs. Nevertheless, one is “cautiously optimistic”.
The shops are not only open on Saturdays: in some places there are also Sunday shops again – for example in Essen, Bergisch Gladbach, Bielefeld or Rheine.
In the first few weeks, many customers would have found their way around or bought smaller items such as sweets or small items for the advent calendar, said Peretzke. On Christmas Eve, more and more “right” Christmas presents would be bought. “The classics will be under the Christmas tree again this year.” These include books, watches, jewellery, perfume and cosmetics. “The voucher should not be missing either.”
The Advent weekend with the most visitors and sales is traditionally on the 4th of Advent, i.e. in one week. But because it will still be a week before Christmas Eve, the association expects the Christmas business to be pushed back a little.
