Postponed for two weeks, the winter sales began this Wednesday morning in a France under curfew at 6 p.m. and a health context still as tense. While traders are worried, consumers seem to be on the lookout for good deals. “For the moment, the traffic on our online comparator is at the same level as last year for the first day of sales,” assures Anna Perret, spokesperson for the Idealo comparator, who believes that customers will rather frequent the merchant sites and less to go to shops “in the context”.
Already -70% in textiles and beauty
Even if in-store attendance “is nothing extraordinary for the first day of the sales”, confirms Elisabeth Cony, founder of Madame Benchmark and expert in retailers’ commercial action plans, the promotions displayed are already very strong. This is particularly true among beauty specialists (Marionnaud, Yves Rocher, etc.) and especially in fashion, which have been strongly impacted by the health crisis and where stocks are high. “Whether it’s La Halle, Kiabi, Gémo or even C&A, we are already on reductions of up to -70%”, underlines the expert.
In some stores (Tape-à-l’œil) or for certain brands (Pepe Jeans), all of the products on sale are even on promotion. Others (Camaïeu, Vertbaudet…) did not hesitate either this Wednesday to add to the reductions already displayed additional “promo codes” (often 10%) from two or three items purchased.
An operation that will not fail to be renewed if the stocks do not leave quickly enough. Because with teleworking, the curfew (and the few opportunities to go out) and the uncertainties hanging over the next winter holidays, “there is less expectation from consumers around fashion items and on products and equipment for winter sports ”, points out Hugues de Buyer-Mimeure of Dealabs, a community site for good deals.
No more requests for high-tech products …
For this edition, the French, always eager to improve their interior in this very special period, are rather closely following household appliances and high-tech, sectors which have been successful in 2020. This is what notes Mathieu Guffens, founder of “Mosc”, an application that warns consumers when the price of the product of their dreams, placed in a virtual basket, moves. “Recently, the French users of Mosc have notably added DIY articles, household appliances or even sports, in particular running or cycling”, he affirms, noting that it is there ” of items of a certain value exceeding 50 euros ”.
An observation shared by the online comparator Idealo: “Among the most watched items, we find high-tech, leisure products and large household appliances such as smartphones, televisions, processors, consoles, wireless vacuum cleaners and headphones / headsets. », Explains Anna Perret.
… but less attractive offers
However, even if the brands of home equipment or household appliances such as But, Conforama, Darty and Boulanger announce reductions of up to 50 or 60%, “some of these items – the most requested – are less expensive. ‘object of promotions’, regrets the Idealo spokesperson, giving the example of “graphics cards, victims of their success and whose prices remain quite high”.
“It’s quite frustrating to see that there aren’t many good deals in the most anticipated categories, such as sound bars, televisions, consoles and everything computer-related,” sighs the founder of Dealabs. We don’t have the same panel of choices as during Black Friday. “Either because demand is still so strong around these products that” there is no need to make prices to sell them, or because stocks are no longer there “, he continues, noting in particular “Supply, production and delivery concerns” which impact availability in several categories.
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