Analysis of e-commerce in 2015 in Spain

Written by Fernando Maciá

2015 is coming to an end, and we are at the time of analysis and synthesis of how our country has been evolving in the different economic aspects throughout this year.

But let’s get to the subject that really interests us, which is e-commerce. We have quickly seen that, according to the study conducted by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), eCommerce in Spain is booming, with an increasingly notable presence in the purchasing habits of consumers, reaching no less than 67% of users who purchase products and services online on a regular basis.. This figure translates into more than 19 million people who made an online purchase in 2015, covering a wide range of ages and user profiles.

The profile of the Spanish online shopper

Based on a sample of 1,193 individuals interviewed within an age range of 16 to 55 years, the IAB study has helped us draw the following conclusions:

Statistical data on online shopping habits

• Young people (aged between 16 and 30) shop more frequently, with an average of 3 times a month, with the average expenditure for each purchase being around 70 euros.
• However, the average expenditure of adults (people between 40 and 55 years of age) rises to 85 euros, although their purchase frequency is lower.
• The main reason that makes consumers opt for e-commerce continues to be the economic reason (86%), as there are more exclusive offers only available on the Internet, followed by the convenience (84%) of shopping online.
• A total of 83% of Internet users continue to prefer to make their online purchases from a computer, while the use of mobile devices (9%) and tablets (6%) is much less common.
• Even so, the use of Apps for online shopping continues to experience steady growth throughout 2015, at 40% compared to 60% for Web usage.

Younger people shop online more frequently, but adults over 40 spend a higher average amount per purchase.

Types of products and services most purchased this year

• Some 60% of purchases made by women in 2015 are related to fashionA 68% of Spanish online shoppers have bought products or services related to technology or communication, followed by 66% in leisure and culture, and 64% in travel and stays.
• There was also no lack of gender differentiation: women spent more on fashion (60%), footwear (43%) and accessories (34%), among others, while men spent more on sports-related purchases (38%) and gambling (32%).

Influencing factors in the purchase

• A large proportion of online consumers (56%) search for products directly on retailer websites, followed by 51% of users who use search engines to find the product, brand or site.
• Blogs and forums occupy the podium as the biggest influencers in buying a product online (49%), with friends and family (45%) coming in second place.
• E-mail advertising also plays an important role, as 78% of Spanish users receive e-mails with discount offers and coupons, and 91% of them have redeemed a discount at least once.

Payment and shipping methods

• PayPal is the clear winner (with 64%) when it comes to the payment methods preferred by online shoppers, thanks to its privacy and security features. On the other hand, only 25% of Internet users prefer to use a credit card to pay for their purchases on the Internet.
• Online shoppers value above all else a fast delivery time (52%) for products purchased online, with 26% of users willing to pay more to receive the product faster.

Reasons for abandonment of purchase

• Forty-four percent of users cite the appearance of hidden costs during the checkout process, such as VAT or shipping costs, as the most important reason for not proceeding with the purchase.
• Other reasons why many users tend to back out of online shopping include: inconvenient payment methods, confusing information and prices, or errors on the site.
• In view of all these reasons and many others that lead users to abandon their purchase, e-commerce systems must strive to offer shopping carts optimized to the maximum on their platforms, especially oriented to conversion.

Most valued aspects for Spanish online shoppers when using e-commerce

These are the points that users value most when deciding to buy from one online store over another, or in some cases, over a physical store:

• Product value. The fact that an eCommerce offers better prices than those in physical stores, free shipping costs and transparency in their prices.
• Payment and shipping service. Variety of payment methods, order tracking and fast delivery time.
• After-sales. Product return and claim facilities, and good customer service.
• Reliability and quality. Users give preference to online stores that inspire trust and have a good reputation.

Spain ranks in the Top 5 of European eCommerce in 2015

As an annex and interesting fact, according to the graph published by the Digital Marketing portal, eMarketer, Spain is currently in the Top 5 of B2C (Business to Customer) sales in Europe, below European powers such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Russia.

In conclusion, thanks to this annual study we have seen that we are in one of the best times to open an online store, due to the great demand that exists today for online shopping. Cheer up too!