DIY stores coming under pressure

According to a study by Mercer Management Consulting, Munich, the crisis in the retail trade is having a growing effect on German DIY store operators too, with even the top stores coming under pressure to act with regard to prices and performance. The study, “Customer satisfaction in the German DIY sector”, concludes that price is the key driver (49 per cent) for customer satisfaction, followed by “range/quality” at 23 per cent, “store” at 21 per cent and “staff/service” at seven per cent. The aggressive pricing policy of Praktiker and Hornbach also increasingly represents a strategic threat to Obi, according to the study. The market leader exhibits “significant weaknesses” with regard to its price leadership.