Rolling back to February 2025, the German giant expressed optimism regarding its online store. The company unveiled plans to upgrade its omnichannel solutions and ramp up e-commerce. Sales Director Daniela Thissen then called it "big news" for the business.
But when the editorial team now, eighteen months later, contacted the company for a follow-up and to hear how the digital business is doing today, the tone is different. The company declines an interview on the subject and communicates via its PR contact that the online store is not currently a priority.
In Sweden, the focus is currently primarily on physical retail and the continued development of the store network. E-commerce is therefore still a more limited part of the business here, the company writes to the editorial team.
However, after the publication of this article, Deichmann has returned to Ehandel.se with a clarification:
Deichmann operates in Sweden based on an omnichannel strategy where physical and e-commerce complement each other. Neither in 2025 did Deichmann communicate any strategic shift towards an e-commerce focus, nor do the current investments in the store network constitute a withdrawal from e-commerce. The current expansion and modernization of the stores should therefore not be interpreted as a change in Deichmann's omnichannel strategy.
To clarify what the company wants to distance itself from is that in February 2025 they announced that they upgraded their omnichannel solutions to "meet the increasing demand for a seamless e-commerce experience", a venture that was described as "big news" in the company's own channels.
Rocky Market and the Power of the Weather
What lies behind the shoe giant's current priorities? The timing coincides well with the challenging period the shoe industry has gone through online.
According to Swedish Trade Federation's Style Index, e-commerce for shoes experienced a frosty end to 2025, largely due to an unusually mild winter. These sharp swings have since continued to characterize 2026 in a real roller coaster.
Sales online have surged as the cold hit in January and during the spring student celebrations, only to plummet during the industrial summer vacation when summer tourists instead flocked to the physical stores.
Although late summer has shown some online recovery, much suggests that the erratic e-commerce market has prompted Deichmann to reconsider. As household wallets now begin to fill up, there is also increasing interest in premium shoes, a segment where the chance to try on the shoe on the store floor often weighs more heavily than a click on the screen.
Cash Registers Ringing on the Floor
While the online store is described as a more limited part of the business, investments are being directed into the stores.
This autumn, the company is rolling out its new 3.0 concept in a new and larger location at Frölunda Torg. Shortly thereafter, the ribbon will be cut to store number 40, located in Södertälje. The goal is for 40 percent of the Swedish units to have the updated design after this autumn's investments.
We continue to see good opportunities in the Swedish market and have strong faith in the role of the physical store, says Thomas Christensen, CEO of Deichmann Norden, in a press release.
In the Södertälje store, they will also test the launch of a pilot project with electronic foot measurement, a concept that may be rolled out more widely in the country during 2027. So while e-commerce plans are put on hold, investments in the physical experience continue.