“Sales are the last hope for liquidating inventory,” stated Athens Commercial Association president Thanos Tsaggaris, speaking on Parapolitika 90.1 radio show “Opposite Microphones” with Vassilis Skouris and Sotiris Xenakis. He argued that the year closed with 15% less turnover than last year while general expenses increased by 40%.
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Thanos Tsaggaris: The 3-euro fee for packages coming to Europe is a joke
Regarding the 3-euro fee for each package arriving in Europe, Mr. Tsaggaris said: “This is a joke! Europe hesitated once again. This fee will be implemented from July 1st, but this doesn’t restore fair competition. We expected taxation from the first euro. Games are being played here – Europe is committing suicide and a parallel commerce system without rules is being built in Europe.”
“The season didn’t go well”
Regarding the sales period, he said: “Lower sales were recorded during the holiday period, with 4 out of 10 businesses recording more than 20% decrease in turnover in December. The sales period, which includes two open Sundays, is the last hope for liquidating inventory. The season didn’t go well – we call on consumers to take advantage of the big discounts that small and medium enterprises will offer. Consumers should prefer stores in regional markets that keep cities alive all year round.”
“The inventory liquidation tool that sales represent is weakened and undermined by the law itself. In 2022, with law 4965, the then Development Minister liberalized offers – anyone can do whatever they want whenever they want in the market. It’s an anarchic environment of continuous discounts and offers, which weakens the institution of sales,” he added.
“Our proposal is to limit offers to two per season – one in the middle and one at the end. A coordinated three-day period at the end of November, Friday-Saturday-Sunday, so that Black Friday is integrated there and doesn’t overflow and last two and a half months, plus continuous internet monitoring for any offers,” he noted, emphasizing that “we have repeatedly requested a meeting with the Development Minister, which hasn’t been possible. We’ve made requests four times, but the minister hasn’t met with us.”
Regarding electronic platforms, he said: “We’re not only threatened by Asian platforms – we’re more threatened by Turkish platforms and others based in Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, which present a Greek profile to consumers, making Greeks think they’re shopping from a Greek company.” “The year closed with 15% less turnover than last year and general expenses increased by 40%,” he concluded.
