The European Financial Service Provider Mollie made public in mid-November its latest report on e-commerce in Europe. A study carried out with 10,000 consumers, including 2,000 in France. Key figures : If 93 % of those questioned continue to go to the store, Almost half prefer to make their online purchases rather than in store, and nine in ten believe that payment methods play an essential role when purchasing online.
If 47% of French buyers favor online purchases, a third of die-hards always prefer to buy in store. To pay for their purchases, The bank card is undoubtedly the most popular means of payment among the French.. Whether debit or credit, the card is undoubtedly the most used means of payment by 71% of French people. It is followed by PayPal (59 %). Finally, the adoption of split payment (buy now, pay later, BNPL) is more contrasted : if 63% of French people have used it at least once in the last 12 months, only 22% say they use this service regularly or occasionally, against 28% in 2023.
Slight drop in online spending expected in 2025
Almost half (45 %) of European buyers still perceive the economic situation as negative. In this context, consumers are more likely to use BNPL, but only if they already have an account with the supplier at checkout, especially in France, in the Netherlands and Belgium. Economic gloom will also have a notable impact on online spending across Europe. These are expected to decrease slightly over the next 12 months, with 44% of consumers planning to spend more, against 47% in 2023. In France, the figure drops to 39% (compared to 42% in 2023).
The expectations of European consumers
More than two-thirds of consumers say multiple delivery options offered by online retailers are important, while less than half value subscriptions. Consumers expect a successful payment experience, reconciling efficiency, speed and security. High taxes (54 %) are the leading cause of shopping cart abandonment. Fears related to payment security (47 %) and the absence of suitable payment methods (41 %) often push consumers to abandon their online purchases. Free delivery is, in addition, one of the most effective ways to retain customers. In preferred payment methods, local methods are favored. In the Netherlands, around two thirds of consumers opt for iDeal, while in Belgium Bancontact is favored by 74% of them. PayPal is popular in Germany and France. Delivery times, free returns or the quality of customer service are other points to which e-retailers should pay particular attention.
