Fluctuating prices and limited supplies

Here at Galaxus and Digitec, shop prices fluctuate. They depend on the purchase prices we get from manufacturers and suppliers, but also on what our competitors are asking for the same product. Supply and demand, scarcity, market equilibrium – all that business stuff.

You’ll find a lot of information in our shop about how prices are calculated – the most detailed explanation being here. And because transparency isn’t just a promise at Digitec and Galaxus, since 2021 we’ve displayed curves that show how a price has changed in the shop.

During Black Friday week, we don’t override the algorithms and mechanisms for pricing. What does this mean for you when you shop with us?

1. Fixed and cheap: «special deals»

The Category Management Team negotiated hard with manufacturers and suppliers in the run-up to Black Friday week. They managed to order limited quantities of around 1,000 products for Digitec and Galaxus, which we’re offering at a fixed, particularly low promotional price. You can access these offers by clicking or tapping the Black Friday image at the top of the home page.

It's first come, first served. If the quantity that the buyers were able to source is gone, the product may still be available – but at the normal price.

2. Fluctuating discounts: brand offers

In addition to our limited «special deals», some manufacturers offer discounts around Black Friday. Typical discounts include ten or 20 per cent on a specific product group from a specific brand. If you’re interested in this kind of «special offer», you’ll usually be shown a voucher code in the shop, which deducts the discount from the price in your basket.

This discount is applied to a product’s current price in the shop. This isn’t fixed; it’s determined according to the rules mentioned above. This means it can fluctuate daily, so the price you pay isn’t the same every day. The only thing that’s set is the discount – that always remains the same.

3. Maximum transparency on price history

If it’s important to you to get the lowest price, it’s worth looking at price history. The curve shows whether a product has been cheaper with us before. You can then speculate whether you want to buy it at a perhaps attractive Black Friday week price, or whether you should wait and hope for the best.

And at this point, I want to talk about prices that are supposedly artificially inflated before Black Friday. This is an accusation made from time to time. As I mentioned earlier, the sales price depends on our purchase price, among other things. It also depends on availability from suppliers and market prices. Our buyers analyse the offer data from different suppliers and go for the best offer. This can be different every day, so the sales price is always different.

However, the Category Management Team at Digitec Galaxus doesn’t manipulate prices to make discounts look better during Black Friday week. On the one hand, it’s very cumbersome in the system. On the other hand, it’d be counterproductive because Digitec and Galaxus always want to offer the best selection at a low price – not just around Black Friday.

4. Monitor calmly instead of rushing to hunt for bargains

Don’t need the adrenaline? Is the hunt for bargains too exhausting for you anyway? Do you buy a product when you need it, not because it’s cheap? Perfect, you can shop at Digitec and Galaxus with complete peace of mind once the Black Friday storm is over. You can activate the «Monitor price» button for products you’re interested in.

Or you can choose a few products that you find interesting, put them on a watch list and be notified as soon as the price drops. What a relaxed way to shop.

Already looking for a bargain? It might be worth taking a look at our Sale section. You’ll find cheap products there all year round. If you’re interested in discounts on products from specific manufacturers, you’ll find our current special offers here.