Behind the scenes

Batteries rolling up the list of bestsellers

7.6.2022

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

Within a year, batteries have gained ten places in our ranking of best-selling products at digitec and Galaxus: only printer ink and USB cables were more in demand this April. In the lower ranks, self-testing kits, how-to books and suitcases showed strong sales growth.

Shopped for batteries online today? Looking at the Digitec Galaxus sales charts, this question isn’t as absurd as it may sound. After all, in April this year, energy cells came third in the online retailer’s list of best-selling product groups. Only ink cartridges and USB cables flew off the shelves more often. But while the year-on-year ranking for ink and cables remains the same, batteries have moved up ten places since April 2021 – more than any other product among the 20 bestsellers at digitec and Galaxus (see chart).

«Our customers have definitely realised that you can also buy batteries online,» says Michael Sievi, Category Business Manager and one of the people in charge of purchasing and selling batteries. What’s fuelled the meteoric rise of batteries? Attractive prices compared to brick-and-mortar stores is definitely one factor. What’s more, batteries are considered typical shopping cart fillers. In other words, if a customer hasn’t quite reached the minimum order value of 50 francs, batteries are an easy way to bypass the shipping costs that would otherwise be charged.

According to Michael, the popularity of batteries is also down to promotions at Digitec Galaxus: «In April, for example, there were two deals of the day on batteries.» But even without these promotions, batteries would’ve kept their spot on the winner’s podium – with diapers and headphones following at an unthreatening distance. «Our deals of the day definitely don’t go unnoticed. These promotions are registered in customers’ minds, which means batteries are more likely to end up in someone’s shopping cart, even if they’re being sold at their regular price.»

How rapidly and strongly the battery business has shifted to the internet is shown by figures from market research institute GfK: their numbers reveal that the share of batteries sold online in Switzerland has doubled within a year from 5.5 to 11 per cent. GfK compared January through March 2021 with the same period in 2022.

Board games collecting dust

Meanwhile, board games and computer mice have disappeared from the top 20 best-selling products. Other relegated products include toner, video cables and PC monitors. Correlation with the pandemic is evident. After setting up our homes with office equipment and gadgets for cosy evenings spent indoors, we’re now heading off to work, restaurants and concerts more often again.

A rising star, on the other hand, is the storage box: it’s where we put all the board games, arts and crafts supplies or Lego sets we bought since the beginning of the pandemic.

Rapid tests selling like hot cakes

The lower ranks have also seen a lot of movement. Among the 2,213 product types that were available in both April 2021 and April 2022, selftests made the biggest leap. In April 2021, they entered at sales rank 141.

While blood pressure, HIV or drug tests are also part of this product group, Covid rapid tests are dominant at the moment. «When pharmacies stopped handing them out free of charge in October, business shifted heavily to the internet,» says Portfolio Development Manager Martina Tatavitto. Demand was particularly high in December and January, when rapid tests were in 27th and 19th place respectively in the Digitec Galaxus sales charts.

With the pandemic slowly grinding to a halt, suitcase sales are doing the opposite. With people travelling more again, this product type managed to make up 600 places in our ranking this year. Meanwhile, the gardening trend seems unimpressed by world affairs, as stable sales figures of fence posts and stakes prove. The green trend also seems to have spread to our roads, as many electric cars, which are becoming increasingly popular, are being equipped with their very own charging stations.

Soaring sales of Easter decorations can probably be explained by the fact that the holidays in early April were later this year than they were in 2021. And the snow just before Easter boosted sales of sledges and bob sledges.

What did you frequently shop for online in the last 12 months? Were you particularly surprised by any of these sales figures? What is your prediction for products in the top 20 in April 2023? Join the discussion in the comments!

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Alex Hämmerli

Senior Public Relations Manager

Alex.Haemmerli@digitecgalaxus.ch

At Digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.

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