German shoppers purchase goods from UK sites in an attempt to get hold of items that are exclusive and unavailable locally, says new analysis.
Some 20% of polled German consumers on average buy goods worth of £84% on UK retail websites, suggest new research by Royal Mail. The study surveyed 1503 German online clients to understand how consumer habits are taking share, in particular, the move of the German market towards global shopping.
The changing shape of consumer habits
German shoppers say that they shop on UK websites because they can obtain unique and high-class items they can’t get at their home market. The majority (81%) of surveyed say that they trust in the quality of UK goods to be genuine as opposed to marketplaces that might offer fraudulent products, sold by third-party merchants. Three-quarters (75%) shop from UK websites when their desired products aren’t available online, with 65% say that they simply “like” to purchase British brands, citing “exclusivity” and “lower prices” as their main reasons to shop on non-German sites.
The analysis suggests that when it comes to top three products German shoppers buy, clothes take the lead (50%), followed by books (30%) and footwear (28%). They are also are positive towards buying second-hand goods, garden products, furniture compared to any other international buyer, which present a financial opportunity for marketplace sellers.
“We are seeing some very interesting trends in helping companies to deliver to over 230 countries and territories worldwide. The research reveals the changing landscape and for businesses wanting to grow internationally, it’s important to understand the distinct shopping habits of consumers in different countries. German online shoppers like to shop on their laptop or desktop, although there has been some shift to mobile since 2015 but not to the same extent as we’ve seen in other countries. Retailers that tune into the different ways in which consumers shop across the globe, are likely to be more successful on an international scale.”
-a spokesperson of Royal Mail
