The 2018 e-shopper’s barometer from DPDgroup is out!

The opportunity to point or affirm some trends in online commerce.

In terms of merchandise, all categories continue to grow, significantly for fresh foods and beverages, as well as points earned for small furnishings and decorating, high-tech products and cosmetics. Once again, fashion is the most popular category in terms of penetration rate, frequency and purchase volumes in most countries. 55% of e-shoppers have ordered fashion items and shoes since January and 85% of those who have done so plan to start again.

DPDgroup, number 2 in the parcel delivery space in Europe, is conducting this wide survey in order to be closer to e-consumers, to perpetually improve its know-how and to share the latest trends as part of its commitment to open innovation.

If we had to pick just three things to take note of:

– The increase of online purchases on foreign sites,

– The development of mobile commerce,

– The positive vision that e-buyers have of their online experience.

As well as the points to improve or to take into account:

– The growing demand for securing transactions,

– The desire to know the name of the company at the time of purchase

– Basket returns and bounce rates inherent to the online shopping experience.

This last point concerning bounce rates and returns are part of e-commerce. Not to worry, as 90% of e-shoppers interrupt their orders for various reasons: time for reflection, price comparison, review of delivery options, etc. However, 41% of them return to their basket and finalize the payment! We must therefore ensure that the cookies of a website leave unchanged the customer’s basket when he resumes his purchase.

The number of returns, which increased from 5% to 10% in one year, is symptomatic of a “window shopping” attitude but also perhaps of a greater facilitation in the online purchasing process. That is to say to say that the process becomes natural for more and more people, fitting in with their habits as they have always done so far in physical stores. These behaviors become opportunities to connect with consumers and provide proof of reassurance by improving their experience including returns when it’s so easy to buy in one click.

That’s why 72% of Internet users want to know the name of the delivery company at the time of purchase. A wish based on a previous experience, good or bad, but also a desire to have the choice of several delivery companies. This multiplicity would facilitate the purchase decision and generate customer satisfaction. Indeed, this number rises to 81% when it comes to regular buyers.

Regular buyers represent the top third of all e-shoppers and are responsible for 86% of online purchases: they received 6 parcels in the previous month and 71% of them ordered abroad. Most of the time it is from neighboring countries and on Chinese websites that e-buyers find insane offers at cost price at home, because among those who have never buy online abroad a third plans to do so.

58% of regular buyers have used a smartphone to buy online, and 46% of e-buyers in general. Mobile commerce is therefore an opportunity for online sellers to be creative in developing applications that are really useful and facilitate exchange, to master the ergonomics of mobile interfaces, and of course in cultivating a good image on social networks to inspire impulsive buying.

Another figure not to be underestimated: 20% of regular buyers are new buyers.

New buyers have been ordering online for less than 2 years and account for 15% of e-shoppers. Very active on social networks, they want ergonomics and fluidity in their shopping experience, and of course the security of payments. At home, returns are common but loyalty programs very appreciated. This is good news, because if half of them are regular buyers, they remain an important source of dynamism for the e-commerce market. Moreover, 53% of new buyers are more and more demanding millenials. #fuckMillennials

In an era of customer takeover, DPD explores and searches so that the recipient as well as the sender is involved in the delivery experience. For this, the group combines innovative technologies and local know-how. With its Predict service, DPDgroup wants to set new standards for simple and flexible services, where the customer is at the heart of the delivery process.