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OPEN OR CLOSED? Are opening hours the Achilles heel of the stationary fashion retailers? Kay Alexander Plonka argues that the 24/7 shopping experience offered by the Internet should not be the goal. An opinion piece by Kay Alexander Plonka
When weighing the pros and cons of the Shop Opening Act, the first thing that comes to mind is that the Internet is open around the clock. This is soon followed by highlighting that people who work for the police, the fire brigade, in hospitals, in both regional and long-distance transport, or in the catering and hotel trade are also required to be on duty around the clock. That is, of course, true. All the more impressive is the concept of a retailer from the greater Vienna area who merely opens her store for a few hours a day and confidently argues that customers should fall in line with her daily rhythm. After all, she can’t be expected to stand in the store waiting for people to come by. This may be a very rare example, but the idea should be congratulated. In Germany, opening hours are regulated individually by the country’s 16 states in order to retain patronage over when, where, and for how long people can shop. This has various reasons, such as employee protection or the safeguarding of Sundays and public holidays. Austria, on the other hand, relies on a federal law that is designed as a prohibitive regulation with exceptions. This means that it’s up to you when you open your store, as long as it’s not outside the stipulated opening times. The situation is similar in almost all European countries. Only the Internet knows no closing time; people can shop whenever they want. When you stroll through the centre of Paris on a Sunday, however, you will notice that an exception applies to the French capital. Here, tourists can shop to their heart’s content in the city centre. Most smaller stores open at noon and close in the early evening, 036
style in progress
which means that everyone is at home or in a restaurant in time for dinner. It works like a treat: crowded stores, crowded cafes, and crowded streets. It seems to make everyone happy, at least if you don’t have anything better to do on Sundays - or if you don’t have time during the week. During the week, most stores, be they delis or shoe shops, close punctually at 7pm. Let’s face it, nobody visits a store at that time anyway. Everyone is either cooking for the kids or already enjoying an aperitif in a bistro. Germany still handles its affairs more bureaucratically. The drugstore on “Alexanderplatz” in Berlin is open six days a week until 10pm. On “Schönhauser Allee” in Prenzlauer Berg a small supermarket operated by a well-known chain is open 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday. Both remain, however, closed on Sundays - just like all the other stores. In Berlin, shops are only allowed to open on ten fixed Sundays. In other federal states there are far fewer Sundays on which this is possible. What is quite grotesque, is that many of Berlin’s legendary “late stops”, which mostly sell drinks, vegetables, or ready-made pizzas, are now also required to remain closed on Sundays and public holidays. This applies to all shops that sell more than flowers, newspapers, bread rolls, and dairy products, according to a decision of the Higher Administrative Court. Don’t get me wrong, I too am of the opinion that extended opening hours won’t generate more sales. However, I strongly believe that the way we are patronised in terms of when something can be bought is no longer contemporary. Just visit one of Berlin’s many Sunday flea markets. You’d be surprised by what sales entrepreneurs generate there. Employee protection needs to remain on the top of the agenda, no question about it. But at the end of the day it’s all about equal competitive conditions for all. If someone opens a store, for which rent needs to be paid 365 days a year, when customers are willing to come, then it should be left to the entrepreneur to decide when it makes sense to open. Such decisions shouldn’t be hampered by prohibitive regulations. With this in mind: I wish you great business success - whenever!
