New online shoppers’ preferences in Eastern Europe and Middle East

Consumers now seem more comfortable accessing an online assortment of products as the technology of omnichannel services has evolved. Shoppers are aware of the breadth of products available at their fingertips digitally and are on the lookout for the best potential deals.

Shoppers around the globe are not only attracted to e-commerce because of convenience, but also for better online offers. For example, 47% of Polish shoppers declare that attractive prices are the main reason they shop for consumer goods online. These online shopper statistics are similar for Romanian shoppers—45% choose online channel shopping due to special prices and promotions. For Turkish shoppers, attractive prices are the second most important reason for choosing online stores.

While barriers to shopping online still exist, we can see the shift in importance for consumers. Although most e-commerce shoppers in European and Middle East markets highlight the possibility for product examination (43% in Turkey, 45% in Romania) and concerns on product quality (33% for Turkey, 25% for Romania) as the main barriers to online shopping, some other barriers have increased their relevance for consumers. Concerns around extra charges for delivery (from 14% in 2019 to 24% in 2020 for Turkey) and delivery errors (from 8% in 2019 to 23% in 2020 for Romania) highlight a need for big improvement for online retailers.

Online shopper statistics influence next steps for e-commerce players

These e-commerce developments present many opportunities for current and future online retailers. The state of e-commerce in the Eastern European and Middle East markets offers the right momentum to enter and take advantage of the full omnichannel experience. Furthermore, retailers who are already present online can further expand their portfolio to offer new varieties and formats of products, while finding the best strategies to achieve profitability. 

The main steps retailers should follow to survive and thrive in a fragmented and highly competitive market include:

• Use the most robust, integrated, and accurate data available to measure and predict future opportunities.
• Understand which channel provides the best potential for your current—and future—products. 
• Optimize online marketing between platforms.