Social media channels are becoming increasingly important as a sales channel for retailers. Seven out of ten shoppers worldwide use social media for shopping inspiration. China and Thailand lead the ranking regarding social media shopping. More than half of the respondents say they regularly shop on social media platforms, versus a global average of 28%. In Europe, 48% of customers have purchased via social media in the past, with Facebook and Instagram being the lead channels. However, TikTok is noticeably gaining ground here, and the popularity of streaming videos makes YouTube an important player in the social media sales market, too. 

Also on the rise are subscription services. 31% of Europeans say they have at least one subscription with an online retailer, with beauty and food subscriptions being the most popular. Across the globe, 36% of shoppers have a subscription service to an online retailer. Beauty products are the No. 1 subscription, followed by food and clothing.

Shoppers want to go green and 49% would even accept longer delivery times 

Sustainability continues to be an important aspect for online shoppers. 64% of Europeans say that shopping online sustainably is important to them, but only one in five are willing to pay extra for a greener delivery - expecting retailers to pay for the additional costs. However, 49% of European customers are prepared to accept longer delivery times if that means that the delivery is more sustainable. Viewed globally, a similar picture appears. More than 70% of respondents say that sustainability is important to them when they shop online, and almost half would be prepared to wait longer for their deliveries. But, given a choice, only 28% see fit to pay more for a more sustainable delivery. 

Customers enjoy variety of payment options

E-commerce retailers across the globe offer a variety of payment options. 85% of European online shoppers and 85% of global shoppers are satisfied with the payment options offered at checkout. Credit or debit cards and digital wallets such as PayPal are still most popular, but BNPL (buy now, pay later) options are on the rise in Europe, particularly in Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria, while Cash on Delivery still plays an important part in large parts of the world such as the MENA region (32%), the Czech Republic (22%) and Italy (15%).

The DHL Online Shopper Survey 2023 provides insights into the international e-commerce industry, specific markets, and consumer preferences. DHL eCommerce commissioned the study to understand consumers' online shopping habits across Europe and the globe better. The global survey took place across 13 global markets (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, UAE and USA), plus 10 European countries and involved 11,500 participants. The European survey takes deeper dive into 10 European key markets (UK, France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic and Austria) and features insights of 5,000 European shoppers.