E-Buyer Statistics

Online shopping is very popular and it has transformed consumer behaviour. On the one hand, consumers appreciate the convenience of being able to shop anytime anywhere, having access to a broader range of products; on the other hand, comparing prices and sharing opinions through websites or apps turned into part of the buying process. However, unprecedented, and unforeseen e-commerce growth happened during the pandemic crisis due to all the restraints affecting the traditional and/or offline commerce.

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The COVID-19 has accelerated the shift towards a more digital society since it led more people to go digital in multiple ways:

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• More time spent on digital entertainment sites;
• More frequently looking online for health-related information;
• Online shopping more often than before;
• Spending more time reading online newspapers and magazines.

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“Countries that harness the potential of e-commerce will be better placed to benefit from global markets for their goods and services in this digitalizing economy, while those that fail to do so risk falling behind even further.”

Shamika N. Sirimanne, UNCTAD’s technology and logistics director

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According to Eurostat and its “E-commerce statistics for individuals” study, gender, age, level of education and employment situation significantly affect e-commerce activity.

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With this data we may assess e-shopping development between 2011 and 2021 and its steady growth especially among young users. Overall, the share of e-shoppers with the highest proportions are found in the youngest age group 16–24 (80%), closely followed by the age group 25–54 (79%).

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Internet users who bought or ordered goods or services for private use in the previous 12 months by age group, European Union, 2011–2021

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Shopping online is 33% more common among Internet users with a higher level of education when compared with those with lower education. Employees and the self-employed as well as students shop online far more (80% and 79% respectively) than unemployed (63%) or retired / not in the labour force (57%).

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Regarding gender data, 74% of men and 73% of women bought services or goods online in 2021.

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Most Popular Online Purchases in the previous 3 months

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According to the European Ecommerce Report 2022 by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and the Centre for Market Insights, 75 % of all internet users shopped online in 2022 (so far), (76% in EU-27).

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The most purchased items in the previous 3 months were:

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1. Clothes (including sport clothing), shoes or accessories (68% of e-buyers) which ranked first among all age groups;
2. Deliveries from restaurants, fast-food chains, catering services (31%);
3. Furniture, home accessories or gardening product (29%);
4. Cosmetics, beauty, or wellness products (27%);
5. Printed books, magazines, or newspapers (25%), especially among the elderly (55–74).

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‍What about money spent on online shopping?

(Consider individuals who bought or ordered goods or services over the internet for private use in the previous 3 months)

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Most E-buyers spent €100 to €500 Shopping Online in the last 3 months of 2021.

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• Online purchases worth less than €100 were led by the youngest age group (16–24);
• Online purchases worth between €100 and €499 were led by the 25–54 group;
• Online purchases worth between €500 and €999 and over €1 000 were also led by people aged 25–54.

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Consumer electronics & ICT products, tools gardening & Do-It-Yourself (DIY), and pharma & healthcare products represent the categories with the largest growth of active users due to COVID-19 across all EU. This means these sectors were experiencing some drop in e-commerce before 2019, but with lockdowns all over Europe people tended to update their devices and to proceed with small home improvements.

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Cosmetics & personal care and food & beverages are the categories with the most active users during the pandemic.

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Reasons not to Buy Online and Problems encountered

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EU, 2021 (% of individuals aged 16–74 who bought goods or services in the previous 3 months)

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The main reason for not buying online is that people prefer to shop in person (18%):

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1. to see and touch the products before purchasing it;
2. due to their loyalty to shops/stores;
3. by force of habit.

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This preference is followed by the fact that these individuals didn’t need to buy online (14%) and 6% had some concerns about payment security or privacy.

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When purchasing online, 63 % of e-buyers reported having no problem. But what are the most frequent issues when buying online?

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• Slower delivery than indicated when making the purchase
• Problems with a website too difficult to use or working unsatisfactorily
• Receiving wrong or damaged goods/services
• Difficulties in finding information on guarantees and other legal rights
• Complaints/redress difficult or no satisfactory response after complaining
• Foreign retailers not selling in e-buyers’ countries
• Final costs higher than indicated or problems with fraud (e.g. no goods or services received at all, misuse of credit card details)

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Mapping E-commerce Future

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There are some undeniable facts showing us why e-commerce should be considered in every business and government strategic plan.

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• E-commerce’s share of global retail trade rose from 14% in 2019 to about 17% in 2020 (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development News)
• 75 % of all Internet users shopped online in 2022 (so far) VS 65% in 2017 (European Ecommerce Report 2022)
• Consumers from emerging economies anticipate that they will shop more online in the post COVID-19 future. (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Report)
• United Nations Programs aim to develop digital economies in developing countries.

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Report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that building an empowered e-commerce ecosystem requires changes in public policy and business practices.

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It is crucial to improve the digital and trading infrastructure, enabling safe and efficient digital payments, and establishing proper legal and regulatory frameworks for online transactions and security.

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The outcome is believed to promote an easier migration to digital entrepreneurship and a faster digitalization for smaller businesses, turning SMB into active players of a digital economy instead of just consumers.

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Make sure you do not allow your business to fall behind. Start planning your E-commerce strategy and investment today.