Overview

• A YouGov survey for the Deutsche Presse-Agentur found that 32 percent of German consumers have used in-store consultation and then purchased the same product online after comparing prices.
• Nearly half of respondents reject “Beratungsklau,” while 14 percent support it to some degree and 34 percent remain undecided.
• Stefan Genth of the Handelsverband Deutschland warned that retailers bear fixed costs for rent and trained personnel without recouping those investments.
• He noted that the reverse trend—customers researching online before completing purchases in physical stores—occurs even more frequently.
• The findings highlight tensions in Germany’s omnichannel retail market, though no policy measures have been proposed so far.