A mystery shopping test conducted by Interconnection Consulting revealed that 66% of dealers offset their high window prices by offering automatic discounts. Overall, there are large price differences among the 20 window brands surveyed. There also happen to be geographic price differences. Southern Germans, for example, have to dig deeper into their pockets when purchasing windows than their compatriots in the north.

With an average price of EUR 342.70, Northern Germany has the least expensive PVC windows on offer. Far more expensive are the Southeast and Southwest regions, where average prices for PVC windows are 10% and 18% higher, respectively. However, the most expensive region in this segment is the East (EUR 408.30). In the wood/aluminum window segment, the highest average price of EUR 704.60 can be found in the Southwest, followed by the West, the Southeast, and the North at EUR 655.90.

Installation Most Expensive in the East

For comparable wood/aluminum windows (1000 x 1400), the price difference between the cheapest and most expensive providers is 100%. “You’re not just paying for security features or good heat values, you’re also paying for the brand,” explains Viorica Jeler, author of the study. In the case of PVC lift-and-slide doors, the average price was EUR 3,405 and thus significantly lower than in Austria (EUR 4,280). The mystery shopping test also inquired about installation prices. The average price in Germany was EUR 2,557, slightly higher than in Austria (EUR 2,274). Interestingly, the cost of installation was highest in the East (EUR 3,096) and lowest in the West (EUR 2,007). Regarding window suppliers, many of them offset their high installation prices by offering generous discounts. Around two-thirds of the dealers (66%) grant automatic discounts.

Safety Pays Off

Features like lockable handles that increase window safety generally go hand-in-hand with higher prices. Compared to standard models, prices for safety windows are on average roughly one-third higher. In Austria, customers pay significantly more, namely 61.1%, for safety windows than for standard models. Interestingly enough, increased safety in wood-aluminum windows is much more expensive than with PVC windows. “This is just one indication that there are still many price potentials to be exploited in the German window market, in spite of what one often hears that the customer is only interested in the price,” explains Viorica Jeler, author of the study.

18/12/2018

Copyright: Interconnection, Publication free of charge for coverage regarding the study and InterConnection Consulting.