Bike&Hike andOutlet Shopping - Dolce Vita in the Alps
Like so many other outlet centers in German-speaking countries, the Outlet Center Eben is still in the fast lane after the coronavirus lockdown. The number of tourists from Austria's neighboring countries, who have discovered the Alps as a bike & hike destination and thus as an alternative vacation to the Mediterranean due to coronavirus, is already increasing in some regions. Retailers in the tourist catchment area are also benefiting from this. Thanks to a smart outlet concept on a greenfield site, the Outlet Center Eben is becoming a tourist magnet and shopping hot spot far away from the city centers and their large shopping centers.
With new tenant and marketing concept in 2020 already +50% more sales compared to previous year
Full parking lots and queues at the checkout have long since become routine for store employees on rainy shopping days. Bargain hunters in particular appreciate relaxed vacation shopping in outlets, even though they have to do without the former comforts of an unrestricted shopping experience due to the mask requirement.
Sales of leisure and premium sports brands in the mid-price or slightly more upmarket brand image have performed better overall during the coronavirus crisis than brands from other sectors. Thanks to the high purchasing power and customer demand for even more brands, the location in the heart of the Salzburg region offers great potential for brands from the upmarket leisure and sports segment.
Outlet Center Eben continues to grow
The sales areas of outlet centers in Austria have grown again overall. In the federal state of Salzburg, the Outlet Center Eben secured the last possible expansion areas for retailers some time ago. "We are making full use of the possibilities within the framework of the regional spatial planning of the federal state of Salzburg to bring further attractive brands to the location. The significant increase in visitor and sales figures speaks for the great interest of customers and the potential for expansion. We are making every effort to design the entire area in such a way that we can guarantee optimal parking and shopping space utilization for our customers," says Michael Lungkofler, shareholder and managing director of the operating company.
Space for pop-up stores on request
Due to the economic uncertainty, individual brands are requesting short-term rather than longer-term leases. An area in the Outlet Center Eben will therefore soon be made available exclusively for temporary pop-up stores. Interested brand manufacturers looking for space for short-term use for test purposes or with the aim of selling stock will find ideal sales conditions, especially during the peak tourist winter or summer season.
Outlets withstand the crisis
According to industry sources, fashion retailers have lost a significant proportion of their income, particularly in city centers. Retailers have a lot of goods in stock that can no longer be sold this year. Fashion is subject to trends so that it cannot be sold at all next year or can only be sold with significant price reductions. The outlets offer an ideal outlet for sales and will therefore be able to provide plenty of last year's goods for at least the next year. The combination of the sale of goods at greatly reduced prices and the high volume of customers in the tourist catchment area thus creates a win-win situation for tenants and customers, contrary to the crisis in bricks-and-mortar retail.
