Brands seeking to improve their customers’ online experiences and boost sales face many challenges. The commerce landscape is ever-changing; global economies ebb and flow, new technologies abound, consumer expectations evolve and change in sometimes unseen directions, as do the channels brands use for sales and advertising.
To help brands better understand the landscape, KINESSO Commerce partnered with Google to study people’s shopping habits, preferences and desires and find a blueprint for commerce success.
The study, conducted by Kantar, used a quantitative online survey to poll 24,000 people throughout 15 European countries.
Our findings shed light on the impact of inflationary pressures on consumers, including their willingness to make purchases online and the behavioral changes observed as a result of the economy, generational differences in shopping habits including Gen-Z’s proclivity toward trying new shopping channels, the importance of brands maintaining presence across a range of media touchpoints and the primary drivers of eCommerce – both conscious and unconscious – for consumers.
Over 24,000 consumers surveyed across Europe
| Cluster | Country | #Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| UK/Ireland | UK | 2,181 |
| Ireland | 900 | |
| DACH | Germany | 1,856 |
| Austria | 594 | |
| Switzerland | 613 | |
| Nordics | Sweden | 1,206 |
| Denmark | 609 | |
| Finland | 611 | |
| Norway | 609 | |
| Benelux | Belgium | 1,530 |
| Netherlands | 1,512 | |
| France | France | 3,096 |
| Spain | Spain | 3,044 |
| Poland | Poland | 3,017 |
| Italy | Italy | 3,045 |
The report captured a broad, representative sample of shoppers across 15 European countries combined into eight clusters. In April 2023 we polled around 3,000 consumers per country/cluster via a quantitative online survey.
All respondents were recent product buyers (past 1/3/6 months) in the personal care, fashion, and consumer electronics categories.
Over half of survey respondents (54%) were female and 46% were male. All respondents were 18 years or older, with an average age of 45. As a useful measure of the different drivers of online behaviors in different sections of society, we also segmented results by generation.
These break down as follows:
| Generation | Born between | Proportion of survey respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Generation Z | 1997 – 2012 | 13% |
| Millennials | 1981 – 1996 | 33% |
| Generation X | 1965 – 1980 | 28% |
| Baby Boomers | 1946 – 1964 | 26% |
Sampling
Report sampling was representative of online consumers for age, gender and region.
Based on individual purchasing behavior, each respondent completed the survey for only one product category. The data was weighted according to representative demographic ratios within each category and at the aggregate level to reflect actual product purchase shares.
We broke the findings of our study into three key reports:
This report sets out the prevailing eCommerce trends in EMEA, exploring the proportion of each generation that now makes purchases online, the weighting between Retail and DTC purchases, and the steady rise of social and live shopping, particularly amongst Gen-Z and Millennial shoppers.
We examine how inflationary economic pressures have impacted purchase behaviors, including people exercising more strategic spending habits, and our research also explores the product categories and generations which are bucking these trends.
Consumers often choose their shopping channels out of habit. Brands can attempt to break these habits to win new customers or harness them to maintain customer loyalty – each requires a specific strategy.
In this report we explore the five primary triggers that drive shopper engagement, and the importance of maintaining category engagement by providing regular, high-quality content on products and services.
Also covered is the importance of maintaining full-full presence across a range of touchpoints and channels to ensure your brand is top of mind for time-poor shoppers, who despite inflationary pressures still compare relatively few products before making a purchase.
Well over half (56%) of respondents to our EMEA survey name convenience as a prime motivator for choosing eCommerce channels. More than any other factor, this is why they opt to purchase digitally.
Through our research, we identified the key components of convenience, producing a framework that brands and retailers can tailor to create optimized experiences in their individual categories, channels and for different audiences.
The report explores these components – operational excellence, experience and brand – and what brands need to do to achieve excellence in these areas to deliver value for their customers.
Discover the insights that can take your brand’s eCommerce strategy to the next level. Download our three in-depth reports to uncover actionable trends in EMEA, proven tactics for driving engagement, and the winning formula for delivering unparalleled convenience to online shoppers.
Whether you’re aiming to capture new markets or deepen customer loyalty, these reports provide the data-driven insights you need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
