Sales this weekend rose by tens of percent compared to regular weekends, both in physical stores and online. The demand is mainly for food, sweets, and toys, while there is also a high interest in Christmas trees and traditional decorations.
As a result of the pandemic last year, the Christmas shopping frenzy shifted online, and although shops have remained open, it appears that many people will end up buying gifts online once again this year.
“The sales behavior of customers can be compared to 2019,” said Tesco spokesman Václav Koukolíček. According to him, the weekend in the chain’s stores was mainly marked by St. Nicolas, so consumers preferred sweets, calendars, and fruits. Sales were also up for baking ingredients such as flour, oil, sugar, and milk, primarily via online purchases.
Globus also saw a visible increase in purchases compared to last weekend, according to spokeswoman Aneta Tarnovská. In the stores of this chain, ingredients for baking, Christmas decorations, and small household appliances are in demand. Among gifts, Lego kits or family board games seem to be customers’ first choice.
Sales are also gradually increasing in most e-shops. At Mall.cz, customers mainly bought Christmas gifts over the weekend. Lego was the most popular item, followed by televisions, mobile phones, and laptops. Christmas trees are also in high demand, while sales of sleds have increased by up to 300% after the snowfall.
Astratex, a clothing brand specializing in underwear, saw its sales increase by more than 50% compared to regular weekends. “We are still managing to keep sales at the level of last successful year,” commented marketing director Karol Guláš. The interest is mainly in nightwear and bathrobes, while the demand for Christmas-themed products is growing by leaps and bounds.