Because of the carnival celebrations, because of the Corona pandemic, fail, has had to contend with the leading costume manufacturer Deiters heavy losses. In April started in the fiscal year, sales had plummeted by the end of January, about 90 percent compared to the same period last year, said CEO Herbert Geiss.
An absolute number he called. The company, headquartered in Frechen near Cologne, Westphalia 31 stores, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia. Deiters has 280 employees, of which the majority are in short-time work. Normally Deiters additionally employs 400 seasonal workers this year, there are zero.
The company’s chief is worried. “This is economically catastrophic for us, all 31 locations are closed,” said Geiss. Actually, he wanted to open in the past year, between five and ten other stores, but because of Corona, he stepped on the brake.
No relief through the online trading
Also the online business on the back burner – here there is a revenue loss of approximately 80 percent compared to the prior-year period. The Internet business in front of Corona with a share of only eight percent of the company revenue. “There is no occasion to dress up – even the online demand is low.” How other companies Deiters has received state aid, according to Geiss “a drop in the ocean”.
Carnival is enormously important for Deiters, about 70 percent of its business on a disguise for the carnival, the “Session” from the 11.11. up to ash Wednesday. Other trim occasions such as Halloween or theme parties are also important for the company, which also stores the carnival away from high-castles in the Rhineland – for example, in Stuttgart, Berlin or Frankfurt. Nevertheless, this business doesn’t even have a third of the Deiters-year sales.
“We hope that the vaccines are back to bring us entrepreneurs in normal water.” Financially, the Situation was tense, too. “It is like a high performance athlete, can run longer than usual, but at some point, the air is him,” says the 38-Year-old. “We are doing everything so that we can get through the crisis.”
Given the Corona-time, including contact restrictions and distance to other people the business model of the carnival may also in the long term, a crack? Geiss hopes that: “The people want to celebrate together, you want to be cheerful, accordingly, the demand will be there when Corona is over.”
The expanding family of companies wanted to be in this year’s 100-year anniversary celebrations. “To celebrate’m not in the mood but at the moment,” said Geiss. Deiters is the largest retailer of costumes, one of the competitors Karnevalswierts headquartered in Heerlen, the Netherlands.
