Germany: Permanent low prices v. special offers

Not all German consumers react positively to special offers, promotional prices and discount campaigns. Entering the field alongside the smart shoppers, who consistently target special offers, are the so-called trust shoppers, who make their purchases in shops where they are confident that the prices are cheaper overall. That is the result of a survey by the IfH (Institut für Handelsforschung) at the University of Cologne, which was commissioned by Hornbach. This reveals that only one in three consumers are convinced that shopping in stores promoting special offers or discounts is cheaper overall. Shops offering permanent low prices are rated as cheaper overall by 44.9 per cent of consumers. Only 36 per cent believe this is true of shops making special offers or promising discounts. Just under half are of the opinion that they can avoid wearisome price comparisons through making their purchases from shops offering permanent low prices.