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Krefeld / Rhein-Kreis Neuss / Mönchengladbach / Kreis Viersen. Retailers in the region are reasonably happy with sales in the first week after stores reopened. Dealers and customers have prepared well for the infection control measures. These are the results of a lightning survey by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) Middle Lower Rhine, in which a good 80 traders from the region took part. “We are happy that retailers can receive customers again, but the current state of affairs must not become permanent,” said IHK general manager Jürgen Steinmetz. The retailers expect a significant drop in sales if the current restrictions in this form persist until autumn.
In the week after the lockdown, 27 percent of retailers in the region rated the stores as “good” or “very good”, another 30 percent as “satisfactory”, 23 percent as “less satisfactory” and one in five as “bad”. “In addition to the uncertainty among customers as to whether the infection protection measures are effective, the buying behavior of many people is more restrained due to the economic situation. After all, a lot of people are on short-time work, ”says Rainer Höppner, IHK Vice President and Chairman of the IHK Retail Committee, assessing the current situation for retailers.
According to Steinmetz, it is positive that the trade is very creative and responsible with the infection control measures. Three quarters of the companies feel they are adequately informed, and more than 90 percent of the companies report that customers are responsible for the measures they implement and implement them. Only occasionally do entrepreneurs report that customers react to the measures with ignorance and disregard the regulations.
The IHK also asked the retailers what different measures they had taken. More than 80 percent of the mentions fell on the following precautions: hand disinfection options for the employees, setting up hygiene instructions and frequent cleaning of the surfaces. 69 percent of retailers have organized plexiglass panels to separate customers and employees, 60 percent of businesses rely on floor markings. Almost ten percent of the factories even hired personnel to control admission.
Communication with the regulatory authorities is mostly rated positively. Almost two thirds of the companies had contact with the city employees, only a little more than ten percent report bad experiences. “It is important that cooperation, especially in this exceptional situation, is characterized by mutual understanding,” says Höppner.
However, the chief executive also sees a clear mandate to politicians in the survey results. “The protective measures are correct right now. But you have to see how you can make them more customer-friendly without neglecting hygiene protection, ”says Steinmetz. And Höppner adds: “After all, despite the reopening, sales will not be as they were before the pandemic.” Special rules for Sundays that are open for sales could help. “Limited to a certain period of time, retailers should be able to open their shops on Sundays without a reason,” emphasizes Steinmetz. The chief executive also hopes that the municipalities will be accommodating with regard to the special usage fees. “If retailers use the public space in front of their shop, for example, to present their goods, they should temporarily not have to pay any fees.”
In the event that the current restrictions are maintained for the next six months, two-thirds of retailers anticipate a massive drop in sales of more than 25 percent compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, an increase in the number of infections must be prevented. “Retailers would not be able to cope with a second shutdown. 65 percent of the companies could not survive further closings or could only survive with additional emergency aid, ”explains Steinmetz. Although more than 75 percent of the dealers made sales through the intensification or development of their online sales channels even during the shutdown, these were mostly only able to absorb around 20 percent of the drop in sales.
IHK support for retailers:
After a first successful video conference in which retailers exchanged views on the current situation, the IHK is continuing this format. The next video conference for retailers will take place on Friday, May 8th at 8:30 a.m. Registrations are required at: www.mittlerer-niederrhein.ihk.de/22843
The IHK is offering the webinar “Social networks as modern sales channels” on May 14, 5 p.m. More information is available at: www.mittlerer-niederrhein.de/22875
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