Fachkräfte: Wer berät die Kunden, wenn 39.000 Verkäufer fehlen?

A forthcoming shortage of 39,100 salespeople could significantly widen Germany's skills gap by 2029, according to research from the Institute of German Economy (IW). No other profession is expected to see as many vacant positions as sales. Study author Alexander Burstedde cautioned against predicting the future, instead projecting current market trends to 2029.

The "sales professional without product specialization" profession makes up nearly 870,000 employees, making it the third largest in Germany. However, the skills shortage in this area is not currently severe, according to Burstedde. The lack of skilled workers is expected to worsen due to an aging workforce and insufficient new talent, particularly with fewer foreign workers being recruited.

Sales professionals primarily work in brick-and-mortar retail, often with direct customer contact. Their duties include sales counseling, ordering merchandise, and designing sales displays. However, some salespeople specialize in specific product categories, such as bakers, meat salespeople, bookstores, or florists.

The skills shortage in sales could lead to a decline in the quality of advice, as many customers prefer to shop in-store and feel dissatisfied if not properly advised, potentially shifting to online shopping. Experts note that many candidates lack the experience seen in the workforce 20 years ago. Good advice is crucial, but customers are often well-informed before shopping, requiring less assistance.

Personalized advice remains vital in certain sectors like hardware stores, clothing, and kitchenware. The upcoming staffing shortages coincide with a challenging period for brick-and-mortar retail, which already faces pressure from reduced consumer spending and growing online competition. Personalized advice is seen as a last advantage of traditional stores, and AI chatbots increasingly assist online shoppers. However, consumers still prefer human interaction for major decisions.

Steven Haarke of the German Retail Association (HDE) acknowledged the challenge, emphasizing that personalized advice is vital for many businesses to differentiate themselves. Retailers may try to compensate for the shortage using new technical solutions, such as self-checkout kiosks, digital tools for order management, and flexible working hours.