EU survey shows growing demand for cross-border online shopping

“More and more EU consumers are shopping online,” according to the European Commission, which today (25 July) announced the publication of the 2017 Consumer Conditions Scoreboard. The Scoreboard – which aims to provide “an overview of how the Single Market works for EU consumers” – also revealed that EU consumers’ trust in e-commerce has increased, in particular in buying online from other EU countries.

But while consumers may be eager to explore the digital shopping mall further, the Scoreboard found that many retailers are still reluctant to expand their online activities and continue to have concerns about selling online to consumers in other EU countries.

“Such concerns are mainly linked to a higher risk of fraud and non-payment in cross-border sales, different tax regulations, differences in national contract law and in consumer protection rules,” according to today’s EC statement.

Věra Jourová, the EC Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, commented: “My priority has been to improve trust of the people and smaller retailers in the Digital Single Market. Consumers are now more confident when they shop online. And we’ve equipped them with a quick procedure to get their money back if something goes wrong, even when buying from another country. The challenge now is to encourage more businesses to respond to this growing demand.”

Click here to download the report and for more EC information.