Shopper Discounts and Rewards: the rise of eCommerce as online shopping takes Europe by storm
the rise of eCommerce
There is no doubt that eCommerce is on the rise. With eCommerce revenues reaching €311.6bn in 2012, an increase of almost one-fifth from the previous year, this is not something that retailers can ignore.
It is also evident that the UK is embracing this trend, with 36% of UK shoppers doing the majority of their shopping online. Additionally, shoppers are now spending an average of £113 online a month, increased from £56 a decade ago.
increased internet usage
With 45% of men and 55% of women accessing the internet more than twice a day, it is clear why eCommerce has become so popular and why the internet is for some becoming the shopping destination of choice.
the role of social networking
People are increasingly using social networks as a portal for sharing their experiences and reviews. Women especially are embracing this trend, with 92% of women now using social networking sites to share information about deals with their friends and family. It is therefore crucial that eCommerce companies not only provide a high level of customer service and reasonably priced products, but also deliver a positive customer experience via social networks as these can be instrumental in generating revenue from shoppers’ circles of friends.
Related Post: Implementing an effective social media strategy
the future of eCommerce
eCommerce has already taken the world by storm with 22% of women admitting to buying something online at least once a day, and according to the MemeBurn article this trend looks set to continue. The report suggests that 25% of consumers plan to spend more online in 2013 than they did in any previous year.
Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert at broadbandchoices.co.uk says:
“While the British high street will always be an integral part of the shopping experience we expect to see a continued increase in the amount of money spent online during 2013, and variation in the devices used for these purchases.”
the rise of mobile shopping
It is clear that mCommerce transactions are also set to increase, as more people embrace using their smartphones to shop. According to an article on Internet Retailing, the UK mCommerce market accounted for 12% of total online sales in 2012 and that figure is predicted to grow even more in 2013.
Sources:
Internet Retailing: eCommerce is surging across Europe
Hermes: European eCommerce is on the rise
The Drum: one in ten people buy something online every day
Memeburn: online cosmetics shopping to heat up
