28.02.2017
Inextricably linked to mobile, it looks to be the future of cross-border trade. Already, today 40% of Asians buy from abroad via mobile, a figure that rises to 24% in North America and 19% in Western Europe.
Globally, 64% of online shoppers have purchased a mobile phone app. The convenience and accessibility of a mobile app encourage customers to do business with your business, rather than becoming a customer of a competitor who only has an online store.
People spend 89% of their time using mobile apps instead of websites. According to ISBX’s Arthur Iinuma, “Mobile apps tend to gain a more specialized and engaged target audience, and hence sales rates are higher compared to an e-commerce website.”
Growing trends and maturity also in the B2C (business to customer) e-commerce market in Greece, the survey on B2C e-commerce by the Electronic Commerce Laboratory (ELTRUN) of the Athens University of Economics and Business records.
Regarding Greek online shoppers, for the first time, the mobile phone has overtaken the laptop, with 89% citing it as a means of accessing the internet, while the desktop is in fourth place with just 60%. Also, the main reasons for using the internet include online market research & price comparison (74%) and online banking (57%). Dominating the top two positions, based on buyer percentages, are travel and tourism services, while PC accessories and equipment rose from fourth to third place compared to the previous year.
The bright future for mobile e-commerce is also described in the 3rd annual cross-border trade report, published by PayPal and Ipsos. The results of the global survey, which studied online domestic and cross-border shopping habits among more than 28,000 consumers in 32 countries, reveal the new preferences of cross-border shoppers and highlight the most important trends in the field of global e-commerce.
According to the research, more and more Greek merchants sell abroad and expand their businesses internationally, utilizing the channel of online extroversion. The main markets that buy goods and services from Greece through PayPal are the USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, and Italy.
The research answers the question of what motivates international cross-border e-shoppers and what they are looking for. For Greek merchants interested in attracting customers from abroad, the key to success is consumer convenience, which includes free shipping (46%), secure payment method (44%), and selling goods that may be difficult to find locally (40%). Also, an important factor is the experience of the consumer during his purchase. Buying through an application for mobile phones, i.e. m-commerce, is an important convenience for the consumer.
Cross-border online consumers from all over the world are also interested in finding attractive offers. 76% of cross-border e-shoppers surveyed listed better prices as a reason for shopping on websites from the top three destinations. Access to items not available in their country was also ranked high (65%) as a motivation for shopping globally.
Electronics
The survey also finds that the most popular categories for cross-border shopping internationally are: clothing, footwear and accessories (46% of cross-border shoppers surveyed from all countries have made a purchase from abroad in this category during the last 12 months. This is followed by consumer electronics (29%), travel services (25%), digital entertainment and educational goods (24%), and games and hobbies (23%).
Time periods
Traditionally, the winter holiday season is one of the most active consumer periods. A new study shows that this period has become particularly important for online shopping and consumers make related purchases not only locally but also in online stores abroad. For example, the research showed that Christmas is the specific period when 38% of cross-border shoppers surveyed from around the world said they make purchases from other countries’ websites more than usual.
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