KaDeWe's Tech Troubles Persist
Berlin - Two weeks ago, unsuspecting KaDeWe was hit by a cyber assault, orchestrated by a cunning Russian hacking group. At times, the department store was left relying solely on cash transactions as they grappled with severe IT troubles. A few days later, their card reader seemed to have resumed functioning, lulling many into thinking the crisis had abated – but alas, that joy was short-lived.
Should you wish to bestow a KaDeWe gift voucher upon your loved ones, think twice. And if you'd like to store vouchers of your own for future gifting purposes, patience will be your ally.
The KaDeWe website politely advises, "Regrettably, we're unable to offer gift voucher purchases through our website at present. However, you're most welcome to purchase vouchers on-site in all three of our stores, at each and every checkout." Yet, real-life circumstances paint a different picture.
Gift Vouchers: Top of the Wish List
This brings us to some unfortunate news: KaDeWe will likely witness substantial revenue losses. Why, you may wonder? Because buying vouchers is incredibly popular during the yuletide season – particularly popular, in fact, to the tune of 29% of all Christmas gifts.
"Vouchers have taken the top spot on the gift wishlist over the past few years," shares Nils Busch-Petersen, Managing Director of the Berlin-Brandenburg Retail Association.
As for the duration of the hacker group "Pay"'s damages, certainty is as elusive as a clear sky in Berlin's winter. "The system could spring back to life at any given moment, or days could pass before it's fully restored," confides a sales associate with a shrug.
- Despite ongoing technical troubles, KaDeWe continues to persuade customers to obtain physical gift vouchers on-site, as the digital option remains out of reach, courtesy of the cyber attack.
- The upcoming festive period is prime time for gift vouchers, with 29% of all Christmas gifts being vouchers. Unfortunately, KaDeWe has been challenged in providing these due to the cyber-attack incident.
- Recent regional news reporting on KaDeWe's voucher predicament reveals that the store is still unclear when the automatic voucher card system will be fully restored, causing momentary inconvenience to both gift givers and receivers.
Source:
