New study reveals online shoppers’ behaviours vary by country
The second annual Global Online Shopping Study from Pitney Bowes has revealed that while international shoppers share some common similarities on how they are finding and buying products online, consumers have unique global shopping preferences and behaviours that vary by country. Pitney Bowes therefore advised that retailers looking to expand their brands globally should consider the different cultural norms and shopping preferences that apply around the world.
According to the study, the majority of online shoppers are using search engines as the preferred method to find products (62% of respondents). When international consumers were asked what types of online sites they would consider purchasing from, 66% chose online marketplaces while 62% selected retailers’ web sites.
Turning to the country-specific differences, the study found that the majority of consumers in Russia (78%), China and the US (both 76%) are likely to purchase products from online marketplaces, while consumers in Australia (81%), the UK (72%) and Canada (71%) are most likely to buy products directly from a retailer’s web site.
Germany (46%) had the highest percentage of online shoppers that said they would consider purchasing products they found on search engines, followed by Japan (40%) and South Korea (33%). The largest number of consumers who would consider buying products online from social media sites were in India (27%), followed by Brazil (15%) and Russia (14%).
The study also found that there are differences based on the age of the shopper. When it comes to “millennials”, 28% of 18 to 24 year-olds and 21% of 25 to 34 year-olds visit social media sites for inspiration when searching for products. By comparison, only 16% of 35 to 44 year-olds, 12% of 45 to 54 year-olds and 7% of 55+ year-olds did so. Also, online shoppers in India (38%) ranked highest for searching for products on social media sites, followed by Brazil (21%) and China (20%).
Nearly a quarter of consumers said they make most online purchases on mobile devices – including mobile/smart phones, tablets or other devices – or a mix of devices. Online shoppers in the UK (37%), India (36%) and China (34%), and the U.S. (29%) had the highest rates for using a mobile device, or mix of devices. A third of millennials (ages 18 to 34) are using mobile devices, or a mix of devices, compared to 24% of overall consumers in the study.
A trend which the study does not focus on, but is still worth noting, is that in India (where mobile devices are particularly popular) some of the key online shopping players – such as fashion portal Myntra – have recently gone “app only” and others are reportedly planning to do so. Flipkart co-founder and CEO Sachin Bansal, for example, said recently that he expects 90% of traffic to come from smartphones soon – and 90% of that in turn to come from apps.
The Pitney Bowes study found that the biggest barriers to adoption of global online shopping are high shipping costs (64%), additional fees owed at time of delivery (48%) and product delivery taking too long (39%). These are, of course, the areas where post and parcel companies can help to make improvements.
Product returns are also a major concern, as 33% of global shoppers cited online return policies and processes as deterrents. Countries with the highest levels were India (46%), Germany (44%) and the U.S. (39%).
Price came up as the top reason (61%) shoppers have purchased or would consider purchasing a product from an online retailer outside of their own country followed by availability (40%), quality and better selection (both 30%).
Commenting on the findings of the new report, Lila Snyder, President, Global Ecommerce at Pitney Bowes, said: “In today’s global marketplace, ecommerce is continuing to connect the world’s economies in new ways, making it possible for brands to sell, compete and expand their footprint.
“By focusing on the consumer – what they want and how they like to shop – brands can develop the right roadmap to achieve global ecommerce success.”
The 2015 Pitney Bowes Global Online Shopping Study was conducted online by ORC International and surveyed approximately 12,000 adults across 12 countries regarding their perceptions, habits and preferences for making online purchases. Consumers were polled in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The survey was conducted in August 2015.
