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German Market Insight: Winter Park Openings Kick-Started The Positive Vibes, Yet Shop Footfall Lags

The warm weather is slowing down autumn and winter sales. There is a feeling in Germany’s retail sector that is relatively difficult to grasp. Nobody knows what to expect: Will it snow? Will people buy like they did before COVID?, Will money be spent on winter holidays?, Questions that are difficult to answer. But there are some facts: According to a Federal State Office report on the 8th of November, the inflation rate in October was 3.8%. The rate is continuing to slow down and reached its lowest level since August 2021.
By Tobi Hammer

The first snowboard openings have also been cool, although there was still a lack of snow at the Hintertux opening. But in the Stubai Valley snow fell but unfortunately, it was very windy on the second day and a few of the tents blew away. Nevertheless, we still tested the products and rode quite a bit. The Kaunertal Opening took place last weekend and it was simply fantastic. There was a great atmosphere among the brands, there was a lot of screwing and testing going on and people were having fun.

There is something else positive to report: In conversation with a number of lift companies, including the operators of the Allgäu Glacier Card, I found out the figures for season passes sold to. They all told me that they are at the same level as last year and in some cases even slightly better. It’s now time to bring this mood to the shops. Because winter is simply awesome – as we all know. There’s no better feeling than feeling the powder under your board.

After a few phone calls with German shops, this positive mood is definitely noticeable.
However, it has also became clear that many have received too much product too early, as sales are now only just beginning. There is a feeling that everything is shifting. Summer starts later and lasts longer, as it did this year. The colder, autumnal temperatures only arrived at the beginning of November and the first snow arrived on the glaciers a week ago. This will probably continue to be a concern for retailers in the future.

Another big issue is delivery dates and deadlines. While some textile/outerwear brands already have their first deadlines at the end of November, it seems that some stores have not even received this years stock. This means that orders are sometimes written with a crystal ball and by feel… But the brands can’t postpone the deadlines (Chinese New Year, boat containers etc.), which creates a certain amount of pressure on both sides.

I also learnt from some shops that they will concentrate on several delivery dates and no longer need everything at the beginning of September. This also means that payments will be postponed. Of course, this is also associated with some risk, because what happens if it starts earlier again?

During my phone calls, I received two very positive news: Bastian Bendele has taken over the EDGE to EDGE store in Garmisch Partenkirchen from Jaqueline Gruber. This long-time employee has renovated the store and has already brought in his unique style. The shop has been around since 1991 and is the go-to place for all board sports enthusiasts in and around Garmisch – a cores hop where every board sports fan feels at home. We wish Basti and the crew all the best!

I also had Robert on the phone from the Panorama shop in Neu-Isenburg, which he took over from Daniel Klotz with two partners. Panorama has always been one of the go-to places for board sports in Hessen and we also wish them all the best and hope that many board sports customers will find their happiness here.

Let’s stick to the good news: the 58 store in Ulm has moved back into the city. The new store offers everything you need to have fun on the mountain on two floors.

Let’s move on to another store: Kai Fuhrer with his shop of the same name, Fuhrer Sports in Offenburg, was renovated in autumn. So you can see that the retailers want to continue to step on the gas here too and are working on presenting their love of the sport.

I asked Kai how things were going at the moment: his answer was similar to the feedback above: “Textiles and sales in the streetwear area are okay. However, it has simply been too warm to sell autumn jackets or even winter jackets, let alone hardgoods. I hope that picks up now. We have a good little selection and are looking forward to winter.”

Finally, I spoke to Stefan from Switch in Straubing, who told me almost the same story. However, he described his situation as even worse. The frequency of customer visits is extremely low throughout Straubing and the surrounding area. “There are hardly any people coming.” He also points out that some brands are offering extremely early discounts of 50% or more online via their B2C platform. In future, he will focus on this when placing his orders. In his opinion, the future will only work if brands and shops work together. Otherwise, things will soon look very grim. He adds: “The whole Black Friday hustle and bustle is doing the rest. It’s crazy what’s going on online right now.” However, he also understands that shops need cash flow to pay their bills. But that raises the question: “Is that even healthy?” Stefan won’t or can’t go along with it, because “if I don’t earn any more money now, then it won’t work at all.”

We boardsports fans have all seen what happened to fahrrad.de and Signa Holding. The biggest online players are gone in one hit. Not even the brands could compensate for this. As we know the bike industry is already in crisis. Hopefully it won’t come to that for us board sports enthusiasts if all brands, shops and the media work together. So, let’s take the positive vibes of the last two weeks into the winter season!

Ride on!
Toby