Book trade satisfied with Christmas business so far
Business
Salzburg’s booksellers draw a positive interim balance in the Heurigen Christmas business. The sale got off to a good start, and now you can still see many last-minute purchases. The time before Christmas is one of the most important weeks for the industry.
The book trade makes a good third of its annual turnover in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Books are still one of the famous Christmas gifts – the Corona lockdowns and the current price increases have not changed that. In the past pandemic years, many booksellers have also expanded their online offerings – compared to large online mail order companies, ground has been made up again, says Klaus Seuffer-Wasserthal, spokesman for the industry in Salzburg.
“Regionality plays a major role”
“Online trading has always played a role for us. Attention to local traders has increased in the wake of the pandemic. And in this respect, regionality simply plays a very, very important role. And that also applies to book shopping,” says Seuffer-Wasserthal.
The book trade is still waiting for the last-minute purchases that are usual for the Christmas business. Crime novels are still very popular with readers – local and regional authors are increasingly in demand. Political non-fiction books are also often bought.