beat the Austrians from XXXLutz

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If you need a new sofa in Switzerland, you can choose between Swedes from IKEA and Austrians from XXXLutz. They now have Möbel Pfister, Mömax, Möbel Hubacher, Möbel Egger, Conforama and Lipo. The last big furniture chain in Switzerland? Furniture Brand.

Owner Roger Märki (63) is the only one with eight furniture stores to oppose two. “The Austrians were here in 2017 and they wanted to buy me out,” he says in an interview with “Schweizer Illustrierte”. Selling was never an option. “Before that, I reconstruct one after another. It’s going bad for everyone. I’m just being honest.”

an average of 4000 francs

The Austrians did not give him a stomach ache. On the contrary, the Ukrainian conflict and the associated uncertainty. “Since this unspeakable war broke out, we have had 20 to 40 percent fewer visitors, depending on the branch,” he says. And that works. “When a customer visits one of our branches, he leaves with an average purchase of 4,000 francs,” he says of “Schweizer Illustrierte”. “Everyone who comes to us has a specific furniture request.”

Märki blames politics for bad deeds. And he doesn’t disdain words either. “Our politicians are just spreading fear. First Corona, then the energy crisis with the power cut. None of the fear scenarios came true.” The thousands of officials in Bern should be able to develop more realistic estimates. And: “None of our seven Federal Councilors gave confidence either.”

They are not “overpriced”

He doesn’t want to grow up, says Märki. “But I want to sell a little more at our locations. With our turnover of 32 million francs, we are a small but good player compared to the over one billion turnover of XXXLutz and Ikea.”

Märki also defends himself against the accusation that it is too expensive. “What nonsense. We are cheap. A high-end Swiss mattress from Swissflex from Basel or Riposa from Glarnerland costs about one franc a day. Calculated over seven years,” he calculates. Most would spend more on coffee and cigarettes every day. )

Source :Blick