slowpoke / sneak / slow seller
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slowpoke
A person or vehicle that moves noticeably slowly and thereby obstructs or irritates others.
Auf der Landstraße hing ich ewig hinter so einem Schleicher fest.
On the country road, I was stuck behind a slowpoke like that forever.
'Der Schleicher' comes directly from the verb 'schleichen' (to creep/sneak). The verb means to move slowly or secretly, which explains the different meanings of the noun.
Die Katze schleicht leise durch den Garten.
The cat creeps quietly through the garden.
The meaning becomes clear from the context. In traffic, it is a slow vehicle. In a scary story, it is a sneaky person. In business, it is a poorly selling product.
Dieser LKW ist ein echter Schleicher auf der Autobahn.
This truck is a real slowpoke on the highway.
In the meaning 'slow vehicle or person', the word is colloquial. It is often used when you are annoyed with someone who is holding up traffic.
Ich habe wegen eines Schleichers vor mir den Bus verpasst.
I missed the bus because of a slowpoke in front of me.
The meaning 'poorly selling product' is technical language from retail and marketing. In normal everyday life, the word is not used this way.
Wir müssen unsere Schleicher im Lager durch eine Rabattaktion loswerden.
We need to get rid of our slow sellers in the warehouse with a discount campaign.
hit / racehorse
'Der Renner' and 'der Schleicher' form a clear contrast in retail. A 'Renner' is a product that is very popular and sells quickly. A 'Schleicher', on the other hand, is a product that sells only slowly and stays in stock for a long time. So the difference is not in the product itself, but in its sales success. When a business talks about goods, 'Renner' is positive and 'Schleicher' is rather negative.
Die alten Handyhüllen sind echte Schleicher und liegen seit Monaten im Regal.
The old phone cases are real slow sellers and have been sitting on the shelf for months.
Seit dem Sommer ist dieses Fahrradmodell der Renner bei jungen Kunden.
Since the summer, this bicycle model has been the big hit with young customers.