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Neckermann warmly acknowledges his debt to Sears, Roebuck and Montgomery Ward, and indeed his catalogue could almost serve for Sears. "We do belatedly what the Americans are doing," he says. But he has also been imaginative. This fall Neckermann is offering Scandinavian pastel mink coats for $1,175, much less than the usual price, has already sold "several thousand." Last year Neckermann established his own travel service, and it is already the biggest air-charter-tour outfit in West Germany. He is offering, for instance, 17 days in India for $400 tourist class and $635 for "special maharajah service."
Another of the additions this year is meat. The smallest quantity sold is 30 lbs. of stewing beef, but prices are 30% to 40% below normal. Thus the customer has a powerful incentive to buy a freezer—which Neckermann supplies for $100 in cash or $4.50 a month and up.