E-commerce merchants must understand how to best serve international customers to remain competitive and relevant to shifting consumer demands. This is imperative during the main holiday shopping peaks as well as all year round to cultivate customer loyalty. Wirecard surveyed the holiday shopping habits of 3000 consumers across 7 countries.
Holiday shopping opportunities
During the holidays, merchants benefit from an increased flow of sales and new customers. Most people (77%) try a new shop during the holiday season. Therefore, retailers should pay attention to retain those new customers. Merchants should make sure to create an outstanding shopping experience, based on omnichannel technology, featuring attractive prices and personalized offers as well as optimal customer service. Furthermore, offering a wide payment methods portfolio will help merchants minimize friction. Free shipping, an e-commerce must-have, is equally important to stationary retailers, especially those selling large items.
On average, consumers base their decision to buy online mostly on prices (54%), quality of products (37%), offers or seasonal discounts (29%), easy return/refunds (28%), brand trust (28%) and shipping time (26%). In comparison, their decision to buy in-store was mostly motivated by prices (59%), the quality of products (45%), offers or seasonal discounts (32%), customer service quality (28%), products variety range (26%) and the possibility to try/see products before buying (25%). Overall, customers proved to be value-oriented across both channels, combining channels primarily to compare prices (54%).
Brazil
- 67% of Brazilian consumers planned to buy online on Black Friday
- Top products categories: electronics (76%), clothing & accessories (69%) and toys & games (49%)
- 74% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 53% mobile payments
Germany
- 40% of German consumers planned to buy online on Black Friday
- Top products categories: electronics (53%), clothing & accessories (46%) and toys & games (33%)
- 77% of consumers likely to combine channels
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 43% mobile payments
Hong Kong
- 33% of consumers planned to buy online on Boxing Day
- Top products categories: clothing & accessories (62%), electronics (39%), and toys & games (37%)
- 64% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 52% mobile payments
Malaysia
- 26% of consumers planned to buy online on Black Friday
- 26% of Malaysian consumers planned to buy online on Singles’ Day
- Top products categories: clothing & accessories (71%) electronics (62%), and household appliances (39%)
- 70% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 67% mobile payments
Singapore
- 31% of consumers planned to buy online on Boxing Day
- 20% of consumers planned to buy online on Singles’ Day
- Top products categories: clothing & accessories (67%) electronics (47%), and beauty products (32%)
- 67% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 51% mobile payments
United Kingdom
- 40% of British consumers planned to buy online on Black Friday
- Top products categories: clothing & accessories (54%) electronics (50%), and toys & games (40%)
- 68% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- 43% of consumers are uninteressed by new technologies that improve the shopping experience
United States of America
- 38% of American consumers planned to buy online on Black Friday
- 23% of consumers planned to buy online on Cyber Monday
- Top products categories: electronics (61%), clothing & accessories (52%) and toys & games (40%)
- 61% of consumers shop using either mobile or desktop
- Top technology to improve the shopping experience: 39% mobile payments
