After nearly three months, the borders are open again. It is to be expected with a rapid return to the shopping tourism. Local retailers are set, in part, targeted discount campaigns.
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In the Lago shopping center in Konstanz, about a fifth were to be found more visitors than on an average Monday.
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On Monday was going on in southern shops is significantly more than usual. At some border crossings, traffic jams, and the inner cities were quite well attended. The chamber of Commerce and industry Hochrhein-Bodensee is estimated that on the first day after the opening of the border, about 20 percent more buyers from abroad were on the road. They came not but to stroll around, but you bought rather, very specifically.
According to Peter Herrmann, Manager of the Lago shopping centre in Konstanz, have benefited, especially food retailers, drugstores and pharmacies. During the weekend he expects the sales in the clothing shops will rise again. In the shopping center, about a fifth were to be found more visitors than on an average Monday. In the Rhein center in Weil am Rhein, one speaks of above-average frequencies, which correspond to a good typical Friday.
Also customers that the on the Internet Goods ordered to a German address had to deliver, took advantage of the opportunity. According to Simon Kühn, owner of My shop had been picked up after almost two hours already over 1000 packages – almost as many as on a Saturday. Previously, sales had slumped in the Wake of the border closure by 90 percent.
Offensive of the discounters
During the German shops to create in the past nearly three months, the border closures have made, profited from it in Switzerland, especially the shops in border areas. According to estimates by the industry Association of Swiss Retail Federation, the domestic retail because of the closed borders from March to may, around 1.5 billion, Fr is expected. more sales have been achieved.
In order to keep the newly acquired customers, cuts Swiss retailers, in part, targeted price. Lidl Switzerland, for example, has launched with a view to the opening of the border in 18-border branches of a limited-time promotion. So a purchase of 100 Fr. 7 percent cheaper, starting at 200 Fr. there are 19 per cent, with spirits, tobacco and some other products are excluded. Add to this the permanent price reductions.
Also Aldi Suisse goes on the Offensive. The discounters have reduced by 20 articles of the daily necessities, the prices permanently, says a spokesman. 20 and more products followed. Some of the prices would be reduced by up to a third.
The major distributors Migros and Coop do not react with the targeted price cuts on the opening of the border. However, the price competition in the Swiss retail trade is intensifying. Migros relies on lower prices and is aware of a loss of market share in the purchase. Coop intends to expand until the end of 2020, the Prix Garantie range of over 1000 products. This year the prices were reduced at 200 products.
By half more expensive
The price level in Switzerland is significantly higher than in the neighbouring countries. According to a study by the Credit Suisse paid the Swiss in this country in the past year, for an average basket 48 percent more than Germans and 41, respectively, 42 percent more than the French and the Italians.
Annually a total of around 10 billion Fr flow due to the purchases beyond the limit. to sales abroad from. Experts predict that shopping tourism is rapidly returning. The exchange rate is currently attractive, and the petrol prices are low. The most important driver of shopping tourism, but the price is. Due to the crisis, the price I received even more crucial, says Nordal Cavadini, retail expert and Partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman. In the past few months, I moved in Switzerland in the area of food demand, among other things, the way of expensive brand-name items, towards lower-priced products.
“This Trend is expected to continue,” says Cavadini. Swiss retailers are likely to emphasize, therefore, in the next few months, the price of advantages more. In comparison to the foreign competition the domestic retail trade has to bear significantly higher costs. A Chance for the affected individual traders in particular, a further Trend that has intensified as a result of the crisis therefore offers Sustainable and local products will be more and more popular.
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