French consumers want budget deliveries to the mailbox

French consumers want budget deliveries to the mailbox

France e-commerce indicators
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France is one of Europe’s largest economies yet ranks only in the middle in regard to e-commerce. It is slightly above the European average for the number of e-commerce consumers and internet penetration. Average spend is in line with the European average. Growth in the number of new e-commerce consumers has been moderate at 19 percent between 2014 and 2018. The products most commonly bought online in France are clothing and footwear, books, and home electronics.

Low-price deliveries valued by consumers

When it comes to delivery, low prices are what French online consumers value most highly. 70 percent say that price is an important factor, a share that is higher than most other countries in the survey. Nearly 4 out of 10 French consumers say that they would like their items to be delivered by mail carrier to the mailbox, which is one of the highest rates in Europe.

Credit cards dominate

Online payments in France are made, above all, using debit and credit cards. 56 % of French consumers say that they prefer this payment method when buying online, which is among the highest percentages in Europe. France has a history of popular local debit cards, such as Carte Bleue, which is a likely explanation for the widespread use of cards for online payments. As a result, French consumers have no wish to pay by invoice, and this is reflected in one of the lowest percentages in Europe, together with the UK and Italy.

Olof Källgren, Market Information Manager, Direct Link

PostNord/Direct Link has conducted studies of the European e-commerce market since 2014, presenting its findings in the report “E-commerce in Europe”. The report is based on interviews with consumers in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In a series of blog posts, we will take a closer look at the individual e-commerce markets covered by this year’s “E-commerce in Europe 2018”. The new 2018 report can be ordered free of charge.

For more in-depth information about consumer behavior in the Nordics, you can also order our report “E-commerce in the Nordics”.