The French market is forecasted to continue its growth
to €93 billion in 2018 at a rate of 14.08%
This study delves into the French B2C e-commerce market, consumer behaviors and trends, including expert interviews with leading logistics providers and retailers in the French e-commerce market, such as Asendia, Mazars, CyberSource and SAP.
Growth & Upcoming Markets
B2C e-commerce turnover grew to just under €82 billion, pushed along by a growth rate of 14%. This is set to rise in the coming year, with a forecasted turnover of about €93 billion.
Consumer Behaviour in France
The generational divide in online shoppers is quite apparent in France, though rapid technological developments and increased social media usage are paving the way to a more robust e-commerce market.
Mobile phones have become a reference point when looking for products and services, as 75% of shoppers used their mobile phone to search for information before making a purchase.
When comparing mobile applications or websites, 70% of consumers make their purchases directly on the store website, indicating desktop purchases to be more frequent still.
When shopping across the border, French consumers shop mainly from foreign websites when compared to foreign sellers on French marketplaces. Purchasing from ‘sellers in the rest of the world (non-EU)’ has increased from 2016 to 2017, whereas purchasing from national sellers has actually decreased. The majority of cross-border deliveries in 2017 came from China followed closely by the United States.
E-tailers Behavior in France
The vast majority of SMEs selling online reach their consumers via social media, particularly through mobile phones, to ensure visibility of their offers. SME e-merchants, like marketplaces, are betting on the quality of the delivery experience to retain consumers and engage them, providing a good overall customer experience.
Opportunities & Challenges
Purchasing online via mobile device will be an interesting challenge for online retailers hoping to sell more in France. Inspiring consumers to ‘take the plunge’ and make either their first purchase (or more purchases) via mobile device may seem daunting, however the target audience using their mobile device the most are also the audience purchasing online the most, which bodes well for online retailers.
It’s important to understand the best ways to reach your consumers with your online shop, particularly via social media. 70% of consumers research product features on a mobile device before purchasing and 60% look for comments and reviews – consumers who can find all of this information via your website and social media on a mobile phone will be much more likely to ‘take the plunge’.
