DHL ECOMMERCE UK COUNTRY GUIDES
EVERY EUROPEAN COUNTRY IS DIFFERENT
That’s as true for ecommerce as it is for food, culture and language. So, if you’re thinking of selling cross border, our Country Guides will help you get started in the most effective way.
As the experts in cross-border ecommerce, DHL has put together a series of online shopper reports, exploring everything from ecommerce trends to delivery and returns preferences. There are also in-depth guides to 19 countries around the world – we’ve summarised a few of the key European markets below.
FRANCE
- 75% of French shoppers buy online at least once a month.
- 19% of shoppers in France have bought from online retailers in the UK in the last 12 months.
- Credit cards are still the most popular payment method (45%), higher than the global average.
- The French still prefer to receive their deliveries at home, whether that’s in a mailbox or on the doorstep. But out of home deliveries are on the rise, with 22% choosing a parcel shop or convenience store in 2024 compared to 20% in 2023.
GERMANY
- 17% of people surveyed have purchased from online retailers in the UK – this is lower than the global average.
- 58% of Germans buy from other countries in Europe to get lower prices. But 52% don’t buy from overseas due to fear of fraud.
- 23% of Germans like to pay using Buy Now Pay Later (much higher than the global average of 9%) and 65% spend up to €100 online every month.
- Home delivery is still the preferred choice for the majority of Germans (78%); however, parcel lockers are increasing in popularity with 9% choosing this as their preferred option.
ITALY
- Italians love shopping online, with 85% browsing at least once a week and 46% purchasing weekly.
- Germany and the UK remain popular countries for cross-border purchases, but more than half of Italian online shoppers are buying from China (57%).
- Using a smartphone for online shopping is on the increase, but 39% still use a laptop or desktop. So you should ensure that your ecommerce website is optimised for all devices.
- Most Italians prefer to receive their deliveries at home, whether that’s handed to the recipient, or left in a mailbox or safe place. The same is true for returns: 58% prefer to have parcels picked up from home. Parcel lockers or leaving with a neighbour are the next most popular options for deliveries.
NETHERLANDS
- The Netherlands is one of the most mature and influential ecommerce markets in Europe. Although the population is smaller compared to France, Germany and the UK, 86% of Dutch people buy something online every month.
- Shoppers in the Netherlands are most likely to buy from China when shopping across borders, with 58% of them having done so in the last twelve months. However, more Dutch shoppers are buying from the UK in 2024 compared to 2023 (18% vs 14%).
- A quarter of Dutch online shoppers prefer to pay with Buy Now Pay Later – even more than Germany and significantly higher than the global average.
- At home is the place where most Dutch people prefer to receive their deliveries, but when it comes to returns, parcel shops and convenience stores are the preferred option – up three percentage points versus 2023 (62% compared to 59%).
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
- Over two thirds of Irish consumers shopped online in 2019 (67%).17 This contributed to a high ecommerce turnover of almost €8bn18, accounting for over 40% of all turnover from Irish companies.
- Unsurprisingly, a whopping 84% of cross-border purchases are from the UK, with Germany trailing in second at 19%.
- Laptops are the preferred online shopping device, with 40% of consumers choosing this as their preferred option – but smartphones aren’t far behind at 36%.
- Unusually, debit cards are the preferred payment method in the Republic of Ireland, with around half of consumers using them. PayPal or equivalents come in second at 29%.
- As with most other countries, the preferred delivery location is at home, but 39% would prefer to drop off any returns at a post office.
SPAIN
- Three quarters of Spanish online shoppers browse at least once a week and 39% are actually making a purchase.
- 37% of online shoppers in Spain have an online shopping subscription – higher than the global average of 33%. Favourite subscription items include clothing and beauty products.
- Spanish shoppers love buying from marketplaces, with over 92% buying from Amazon. Alibaba/AliExpress comes in second with 45%.
- Credit cards (45%) and digital wallets (41%) are the preferred payment options for online shoppers in Spain.
- When it comes to deliveries and returns, home is the place to be. Spanish people prefer to receive deliveries at home and have their returns collected from a home address. Dropping off or collecting from a post office or ServicePoint would be the next best option.
