E-commerce shoppers are demanding sustainability, and they’re willing to pay for it

Over half of online consumers have bought more in the last year and nearly half would pay more to shop more sustainably.

• 45% of Spanish consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
• 51% say AI could improve their shopping experience.
• Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges in online sales: 3 out of 10 users have been victims of fraud.

E-commerce is accelerating in Spain, with a new survey showing that 58% of digital consumers have increased online purchases in the past year, despite reduced spending capacity overall.

The most recent annual study from IESE’s Inigo Gallo with French online retailer Veepee, in collaboration with data analysis consultancy Kantar, focuses on the Spanish market, where the digital ecosystem continues to evolve.

Satisfying the needs of demanding consumers

Shoppers are increasingly demanding about product information and the shopping experience. A reported 60% use the brand’s website to find information, though younger consumers prefer Instagram and YouTube, at 41% and 34%, respectively.

Once on the website, consumers value, in order of relevance, complete product technical sheets, an accurate size guide, high-quality photographs, and even the ability to zoom in on photos. They also value other buyers’ reviews, as it helps set expectations and instills confidence.

Which factors influence a sale?

Price remains the primary driver in online purchases. It’s the first thing buyers look for, and it’s the most-used filter followed by size, category, sales promotion and ranking.

Delivery and return policies come into play once the product is in the basket. For over half of buyers, the most important thing is to be able to choose the possibility of free shipping and to know the delivery times. Ease of making returns and tracking deliveries are also valued.

Return policies act as a driver for purchase for 12% of consumers, and the ease or agility offered is a “very important” factor for 46%. The most common reason for returning a product (33%) is that it does not meet expectations.

Payment methods such as digital wallets (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) are catching up with credit or debit cards: 6 out of 10 people already use them as their primary online payment method, followed by the Spanish payment app Bizum.

Email marketing remains the preferred tool for customers to receive information, ahead of direct messages, social media alerts or advertising on the website itself.

Sustainability is a consideration for e-consumers

Sustainability has become a fundamental requirement for 91% of buyers, according to those surveyed. Customers expect more sustainable shipments, from reducing packaging materials and single-use plastics to optimizing transport and deliveries and collaborating with local suppliers.

Among digital consumers, 45% declare they are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Meanwhile, more than half claim to have bought or sold second-hand products, particularly for fashion or cultural products such as books, music, movies and collectibles.

Cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and new purchasing methods

Three out of 10 shoppers have been victims of fraud in their online purchases, which means investing in digital security is also an investment in customer trust and customer service.

Meanwhile, half of digital shoppers feel that AI could improve their online shopping experience, whether by offering more personalized discounts or more secure transactions. But AI also raises concerns: 92% of buyers were somewhat squeamish, particularly around data privacy.

And although e-commerce is gaining ground in Spain, it hasn’t yet incorporated the latest technological innovations. These include delivery robots, drones, AI-based recommendations, m-commerce (online stores designed for mobiles), visual commerce (enabling consumers to buy products they have photographed), voice shopping or stores in the metaverse. Businesses that are serious about maintaining competitiveness need to adapt to new trends and technologies.

As with last year, single channel remains the main purchasing path, with a majority of customers completing the process in the channel where they started (whether online or offline). The exception is young people aged 18 to 34, who tend to opt for omnichannel purchases.

Live shopping — a new purchasing modality through streaming platforms where users explain their shopping experiences in detail so that their viewers can buy in real-time — is a trend to watch out for, with 15% of respondents having bought in this way in the past year.

About the research

The 2024 study on the future of e-commerce (in Spanish), conducted by IESE and Veepee, in collaboration with Kantar, analyzed the online shopping habits of 800 consumers aged 18 to 65, residing in Spain, who made at least one online purchase in the past year.

READ ALSO: 

Reducing returns in online shopping

How can a risky purchase be made more palatable to the consumer?

Retail Revolution: How retailers can prepare for an omnichannel future