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Schwerin loses further business: Trekking König closes forever!
In Schwerin, other stores, including Trekking König, are closing due to declining sales and online competition.
Schwerin loses further business: Trekking König closes forever!
There has been another painful setback in Schwerin's city center: the specialist shop Trekking König has closed its doors. After six years in the state capital, the operators were forced to pull the ripcord because the decline in sales could no longer be compensated for. That's how he reports Northern Courier.
Despite attractive discounts and a clearance sale, customers stayed away. Many people received detailed advice in store, but ultimately made their purchasing decisions online. With a sigh of frustration in his voice, company boss Stefan König mentions that his employees found the lack of willingness to buy frustrating. The closure now also has fatal consequences for the workforce: fourteen employees lose their jobs.
The pressure of online competition
The reasons for the closure are complex. The market for outdoor gear has changed, and online platforms such as Amazon and Temu often offer competing products at lower prices. Specialist shops in particular cannot keep up here, as rents, salaries and high consulting costs have a huge impact on prices. While online retailers often feel forced to sell under pressure, brick-and-mortar retailers can only make an effort to present their services and products as well as possible in order to secure their place in the market.
The effects of digitalization cannot be overlooked. More and more retailers are trying to differentiate themselves through a sensible omnichannel strategy like this Drifting is described to claim. It is important to link online and offline channels in order to offer customers a comprehensive shopping experience. Switching between different sales channels should be as seamless as possible so that the brand always delivers the same, positive experience.
The loss of personal contact
Customer-oriented logistical processes, efficient internal structures and a functioning central merchandise management system are crucial. However, these are not easy to accomplish and require all internal processes to be adapted to the modern, cross-channel strategy. The direct contact between seller and customer, which is so valued in specialist shops, is increasingly being pushed into the background; the digital world has exerted its influence here.
The closure of Trekking König is another example of the challenges facing the retail sector in Schwerin. Advancing digital development is forcing businesses to adapt and once again shows the considerable pressure that brick-and-mortar retailers are under to rethink traditional sales methods and strategies.
It remains to be hoped that the affected employees will quickly find new perspectives in the changing retail landscape. Because one thing is certain: times are challenging for brick-and-mortar retail – every single person now has to learn the “hand for it”.