Window prices in Austria show great variation, as a mystery shopping test by Interconnection Consulting revealed. A total of 80 window dealers were put under the microscope. Increased security raises the prices of windows. There are also geographical price differences. Burgenlanders, for example, have to dig deepest into their pockets.
Security Surcharge for Windows
At 552.2 euros, Burgenland is in first place when it comes to the price of PVC windows. Besides the leader, Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Vienna are also above the Austria-wide average price of 488.1 euros. In Upper Austria, PVC windows are cheapest with an average price of 450.4 euros. Compared to the previous year, the Austria-wide average price decreased by 4 euros. The surcharge for increased security (increased window security, lockable handles) was around 23 percent in the PVC segment. Meanwhile, the price differences between the individual dealers are huge, especially for windows with increased security.
Here, the window prices of the most expensive supplier are five times more than those of the cheapest manufacturer. For wood/aluminium windows, Vienna leads the price spectrum with an average price of 888.8 euros for standard security, ahead of Upper Austria and Salzburg. Right at the bottom in this segment is Styria with around 780 euros. For increased security, one has to spend on average about 18 percent more for wood/aluminium than for basic security.
Dealers Are Discount Shy
The average installation costs including delivery and disposal were 2,534 euros, whereby the price range varies greatly between the provinces. In Vorarlberg, installation is about twice as expensive at 3,700 euros as in Carinthia at around 1,900 euros. Around every third provider also grants discounts.
Of the roughly 66 percent who do not grant a discount, 13.2 percent did not respond to the discount request at all – explains Panorea Kaskani, the author of the study. – The average discount was around 10%. Cash discounts were granted by about two-thirds of all retailers. Besides the security features, however, it is also the brand that plays a decisive influence on the price, as the study clearly shows.
source: interconnectionconsulting.com
