Overview
- Black Week turnover reached about €460 million, a new record as shoppers spent an average €294 and focused on clothing, electronics and cosmetics, with two thirds already buying gifts.
- Retail associations report sharply reduced margins and say blanket 25% discounts are uneconomic for many smaller shops.
- About 72% of online purchases go to US platforms and roughly 20% to Temu, AliExpress and similar marketplaces, prompting warnings about product safety and lost domestic sales.
- Austria’s strict price-display regime, including the 30‑day lowest-price reference, applies to local retailers but not effectively to foreign marketplaces, creating a competitive imbalance.
- The first Advent weekend delivered strong footfall—up to 10% more visitors than last year at some sites and around 30% more than a typical Saturday at major centers—while experts caution that prolonged discounting fuels impulsive buying and stress.