Die dunkle Wahrheit über MATRATZEN CONCORD

Summary

Matratzen Concord, a leading mattress retailer in Germany, has long been shrouded in mystery. Despite financial struggles, its widespread presence and controversial pricing practices, including a suspected price-fixing cartel, have raised suspicions. The company’s frequent ‘discounts’ are seen as deceptive, creating a false sense of savings. As competition from online stores increased, Matratzen Concord faced a decline, leading to its eventual sale to a Chinese company. The video delves into these issues, blending conspiracy theories with factual insights into the company’s opaque business model and its entanglements with industry organizations like Stiftung Warentest.

Takeaways

• 😀 Matratzen Concord, a prominent German mattress retailer, has been a subject of intrigue and conspiracy theories for years, with its stores being omnipresent across the country.
• 🛏️ The company had more stores in Germany than Burger King restaurants until recently, raising questions about why so many mattress stores existed and how they remained profitable.
• 🤔 In 2011, the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) conducted raids related to a mattress cartel, investigating price-fixing and unfair business practices within the industry.
• 💰 The so-called 'mattress cartel' was a vertical cartel, meaning mattress manufacturers imposed price controls on retailers, manipulating the market to keep prices high and prevent competition.
• 📉 Despite financial struggles, Matratzen Concord continued expanding, with 849 stores in Germany by the end of 2017, even as their business model faced challenges.
• 😕 Many employees of Matratzen Concord didn't understand why their stores existed or why there were so many, with some admitting their daily sales were minimal.
• 🏪 The company strategically places its stores at street corners to maximize visibility, allowing for constant advertising of discount offers, creating an illusion of good deals.
• 💡 The 'permanent clearance sale' model used by Matratzen Concord tricked customers into thinking they were getting deep discounts, despite the inflated initial prices.
• 🔥 Matratzen Concord was not directly implicated in the mattress cartel's illegal activities, but it benefited from the distorted pricing practices that kept margins high, sometimes up to 300%.
• 📊 As online competition increased and traditional mattress sales became less profitable, Matratzen Concord faced financial difficulties and lost its previous dominance in the market.
• ⚖️ In the 2000s, the mattress industry clashed with Stiftung Warentest, a German testing organization, over the favorable ratings given to certain anti-cartel mattresses sold online, which some companies saw as a form of covert promotion.

Q & A

What is Matratzen Concord and why is it so prominent in Germany?

Matratzen Concord is a chain of mattress stores that is widely spread across Germany, with more locations than even Burger King restaurants at one point. The stores are located at every street corner and are known for their frequent sales, raising questions about the business model and its profitability.

Why did Matratzen Concord have so many store locations?

Matratzen Concord had so many stores because placing stores on street corners maximized visibility, which helped attract customers by showcasing multiple windows for discount offers. This location strategy was part of the company's marketing tactic.

Was there any controversy surrounding Matratzen Concord?

Yes, there was controversy regarding the business practices of Matratzen Concord. Specifically, there were rumors about a 'mattress cartel' and questionable pricing tactics. The company was also involved in a long-running issue with price manipulation and a 'permanent discount' strategy.

What is the 'mattress cartel' mentioned in the transcript?

The 'mattress cartel' refers to a vertical cartel where mattress manufacturers fixed prices for their products. Although manufacturers did not directly collude with each other, they forced retailers to sell mattresses at higher prices by manipulating supply and creating artificial shortages, leading to higher prices for consumers.

How did Matratzen Concord benefit from the mattress cartel?

While Matratzen Concord itself wasn't officially convicted as part of the cartel, it profited from the lack of price competition caused by the cartel. The company used sales tactics like 'permanent discounts' to create the illusion of great deals, making consumers feel they were getting a bargain even when prices were inflated.

What was the trick behind Matratzen Concord's 'permanent sales'?

Matratzen Concord used a strategy where a mattress was sold at a higher price in one location for a few days, and then advertised as being on a massive discount in other stores after the sale ended. This created the illusion of a significant discount (e.g., 80% off) on a product that was still overpriced.

What role did Stiftung Warentest play in the mattress industry controversy?

Stiftung Warentest, a German consumer protection agency, became embroiled in the mattress industry controversy when its tests consistently named a low-cost anti-cartel mattress as the best. The mattress industry accused Stiftung Warentest of being biased and profiting from these favorable reviews, leading to a public dispute.

How did Matratzen Concord react to increasing competition from online mattress retailers?

As online mattress retailers gained popularity and started to eat into their market share, Matratzen Concord's traditional brick-and-mortar model began to struggle. The company faced difficulties adapting to the changing market, and the mattress business in general became less profitable.

What happened to Matratzen Concord in recent years?

In recent years, Matratzen Concord's dominance has waned. The company was sold for a relatively low price to a Dutch company, and then later acquired by a Chinese entity. Despite still having a significant number of stores, its reputation and profitability have significantly declined.

Are there still suspicions about illegal activities involving Matratzen Concord?

While the company's direct involvement in criminal activities like money laundering or cartel practices has not been proven, there are still lingering suspicions due to the opaque nature of the business, the history of the mattress cartel, and rumors of shady connections with international criminal organizations.