As we know, Ariston and NWR two biggest associations of shoes purchasing in Germany have merged formally a few days ago, as to improve the importing of the stocks. From 1980, Germany's shoes production has decreased 60%, nowdays, mostly imported products have been sold in the Germany's markets, among them, a lot of products are from South Europe and South-East Asia. Because China will become Germany's very important shoes supply base,the merger of two associations can not only improve the importing to gain the reasonable prices, but also can be engaged in purchasing according to the purchasing office settled in China, saving the manpower and material resources, so as to compete with the chain stores, factories' sale centers and supermarkets which are increasing speedly. The monopoly stores are dominant in the Germany's market, the proportion of medium-sized monopoly stores is 42% in the whole markets, the proportion of NWR and Ariston will be 24%. After the merger, they will re-possess 2000 retailers and 4360 stores. Their main functions are making the purchasing for the monopoly stores, and providing the services about circulating funds, law consulation, accounting, advertisement promoting, tax suggestion and general consulation for their own monopoly stores.

   In 2000, Germany's shoes sale amount is about MARK 15,000,000,000.00, the cost on the shoes of one person is about MARK 180. Among of them, about 81% were sold by monopoly stores, and about 13% were sold by the department stores, wholesale stores and supermarkets, about 6% remainings were sold by the mail-order. In 2000, Germany's sale amount has increased about 1.5% campared to 1999.