The document provides an overview of the methodology used in compiling market reports on B2C e-commerce. Information is gathered through secondary research from various public sources. Data is cross-referenced to ensure validity. Reports include data from the last 12 months prior to publication and define key terms. Charts include titles, subtitles and notes to provide necessary context for the data. The structure and elements of reports and individual country sections are also outlined.
4. 4
GENERAL METHODOLOGY OF MARKET REPORTS
Secondary Market Research
The reports are compiled based on secondary market research. Secondary research is information gathered from previously published sources. Our reports are
based on information and data acquired from national and international statistical offices, industry and trade associations, business reports, business and
company databases, journals, company registries, news portals and many other reliable sources. By using various sources we ensure maximum objectivity for
reported data. As a result, companies gain a precise and unbiased impression of the market situation.
Cross referencing of data is conducted in order to ensure validity and reliability.
The source of information and its release date are provided on every chart. It is possible that the information contained in one chart is derived from several
sources. If this is the case, all sources are mentioned on the chart.
The reports include mainly data from the last 12 months prior to the date of report publication. Exact publication dates are mentioned in every chart.
Definitions
The reports take into account a broad definition of B2C E-Commerce, which might include mobile commerce. As definitions may vary among sources, exact
definition used by the source (if available) is included at the bottom of the chart.
Chart Types
Our reports include text charts, pie charts, bar charts, rankings, line graphs and tables. Every chart contains an Action Title, which summarizes the main
idea/finding of the chart and a Subtitle, which provides necessary information about the country, the topic, units or measures of currency, and the applicable time
period(s) to which the data refers. With respect to rankings, it is possible that the summation of all categories amounts to more than 100%. In this case, multiple
answers were possible, which is noted at the bottom of the chart.
Report Structure
Reports are comprised of the following elements, in the following order: Cover page, preface, legal notice, methodology, definitions, table of contents,
management summary (summarizing main information contained in each section of report) and report content (divided into sections and chapters). When
available, we also include forecasts in our report content. These forecasts are not our own; they are published by reliable sources. Within Global and Regional
reports, we include all major developed and emerging markets, ranked in order of importance by using evaluative criteria such as sales figures.
Notes and Currency Values
If available, additional information about the data collection, for example the time of survey and number of people surveyed, is provided in the form of a note. In
some cases, the note (also) contains additional information needed to fully understand the contents of the respective data.
When providing information about amounts of money, local currencies are most often used. When referencing currency values in the Action Title, the EUR
values are also provided in brackets. The conversions are made using the average currency exchange rate for the respective time period. Should the currency
figure be in the future, the average exchange rate of the past 12 months is used.
5. 5
METHODOLOGY OF THE CURRENT REPORT
Report Coverage
This report covers the B2C E-Commerce market in Western Europe. In addition to the regional information and country comparisons, the top 5 markets in this
region are covered in-depth, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. A broad definition of retail E-Commerce used by some original sources cited
in this report might include both B2C and C2C E-Commerce.
The report contains relevant information about international comparisons, market trends, E-Commerce sales and shares, Internet users and shoppers, products,
payment methods, delivery and players.
Report Structure
The report starts with an overview of the regional E-Commerce market, regional and country comparisons in terms of criteria relevant to B2C E-Commerce, such
as sales, Internet and online shopper penetration. The rest of the report is divided into country chapters, presented in the descending order of retail E-
Commerce sales. Data availability varied by country.
Each country description starts with the “Trends” section that highlights relevant market trends, such as M-Commerce, omnichannel, and cross-border online
shopping.
The section “Sales & Shares” covers the development of B2C E-Commerce sales and E-Commerce’s share of total retail sales. For top markets in the region,
information from several sources was provided for cross-referencing.
In the “Users & Shoppers” section, information about Internet penetration and online shoppers is included.
Afterwards, the section “Products” shows the leading product categories purchased online.
The next section, “Payment”, covers the payment methods most used by online shoppers.
Furthermore, the “Delivery” section covers information related to delivery in E-Commerce.
Finally, the “Players” section includes information about the leading E-Commerce companies, including rankings of top online shopping platforms by sales,
website visits, awareness and usage rates by online shoppers, where available.
For the top two B2C E-Commerce markets in the region, the UK and Germany, the country descriptions start with an overview chart, highlighting the overall B2C
E-Commerce development.
6. 6
DEFINITIONS
B2C E-COMMERCE
the sale of products (and services) through electronic transactions via the Internet from businesses to
consumers (B2C). A broader definition of retail E-Commerce applied by some sources also includes consumer-
to-consumer (C2C) sales.
E-COMMERCE SALES
the total sales generated either on the E-Commerce market in a certain country or region, or the total sales
generated through E-Commerce by a player on the market.
M-COMMERCE
M-Commerce, also called “Mobile Commerce”, means the sale of products (and services) through electronic
transactions via mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and smartphones.
CROSS-BORDER B2C E-COMMERCE
the sale of goods (and services) directly to consumers in other countries, with orders delivered from the country
where the foreign shop is based or from a central logistics facility, i.e. across the country’s borders. Both B2C
and C2C transactions might be included in the definition of retail cross-border E-Commerce.
OMNICHANNEL
an approach to retail that strives to provide the customer with the seamless shopping experience across all
retail channels, such as in-store, online and mobile.
WEBROOMING
a practice in retail where consumers browse/research the products online before making the purchase in-store;
may also refer to customers using Internet-enabled mobile devices to browse/research/compare products
online while being in-store.
SHOWROOMING
a practice in retail where consumers visit a store to browse or try on the products before buying them online (or
via mobile).
INTERNET USERS the total number of inhabitants in a certain country that regularly accesses the Internet.
ONLINE SHOPPERS the total number of inhabitants in a certain country or region that participates in B2C E-Commerce.
E-COMMERCE MARKETPLACE
platforms where third-party merchants (B2C) or individuals (C2C) can sell their digital or physical products
online whereas the marketplace operator acts as an intermediary.
The following expressions and definitions are used in this market report*:
Note: *the definitions used by the original sources might differ from the ones stated on this chart; the exact definition used by each source, where available, is included on the respective
charts
7. 7
TABLE OF CONTENTS (1 OF 6)
1. Management Summary
2. Regional Overview
• B2C E-Commerce Sales in Europe, in EUR billion, and Year-on-Year Change, in %, 2013 - 2019f
• Breakdown of B2C E-Commerce Sales in Europe by Sub-Regions, in %, 2018
• Retail E-Commerce Sales in the EU5, in USD billion, and Year-on-Year Change, in %, 2018-2022f
• Top 10 Countries Worldwide by Retail E-Commerce Sales, in USD billion, by Canada, China, India, Germany, France, Japan, Russia, South
Korea, the UK, the USA, 2018 & 2019f
• Retail E-Commerce Sales in the EU5, in USD billion, by Country, 2019f
• Top Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Online Shoppers in the EU, 2018
• Breakdown of E-Commerce Transactions by Payment Method, in %, April 2018
• Internet Penetration in the EU, by Country, in % of Individuals, 2012 – 2018
• Online Shopper Penetration in the EU, by Country, in % of Individuals, 2012 – 2018
• Cross-Border Online Shopper Penetration in the EU, by Country, in % of Online Shoppers,
• 2017 & 2018
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Individuals, by Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordics, Spain and the UK,
May 2018
• Payment Methods Preferred in Online Shopping, in % of Online Shoppers, by Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordics,
Spain and the UK, May 2018
• Breakdown of Maximum Acceptable Delivery Times, in % of Online Shoppers, by Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the
Nordics, Spain and the UK, May 2018
3. UK
3.1. Trends
• B2C E-Commerce Market Overview and International Comparisons, September 2019
• M-Commerce Sales, in GBP billion, 2019f & 2024f
• Key Figures about Click and Collect, incl. Click & Collect Growth Rate, 2018-2023f, Click & Collect Sales, in GBP billion, 2023f, Click & Collect
Share of Total E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2023f, Clothing and Footwear’s Share of Click & Collect Sales, in %, 2018, Click & Collect Customer
Satisfaction Rate, in %, 2018, and Share of Customers Who Bought an Additional Item When Collecting an Order, in %, 2018
• Cross-Border Online Shopper Penetration, by Online Shoppers Buying From Other EU Countries and from the Rest of the World, in % of Online
Shoppers in the UK, 2013 - 2019
8. 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS (2 OF 6)
3. UK (Cont.)
3.2. Sales & Shares
• Retail E-Commerce Sales, in GBP billion, and Share of Total Retail Sales, in %, 2017 – 2023f
• Retail E-Commerce Sales, in GBP billion, 2018 & 2023f
• B2C E-Commerce Share of Total Retail Sales, in %, 2013 – 2018 & Q1-Q2 2019
3.3. Internet Users & Online Shoppers
• Number of Internet Users, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Adults, by Frequency of Use, 2013 - 2019
• Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Adults, 2013-2019
• Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Adults, by Age Group and Gender, 2013 - 2019
• Breakdown of Frequency of Shopping Online During a Three-Month Period, in % of Online Shoppers, by Age Group and Gender, 2019
• Breakdown of Online Spending During a Three-Month Period, in GBP, in % of Online Shoppers, by Age Group and Gender, 2019
3.4. Products
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Adults, 2019
• Online Grocery Sales, in GBP billion, 2018, 2019f & 2023f
3.5. Payment
• Breakdown of E-Commerce Transactions by Payment Method, in %, April 2018
• Share of Online Shoppers Who Want Merchants to Offer a Range of Payment Options, in %, July 2018
3.6. Delivery
• Delivery-Related Reasons for Shopping Cart Abandonment, in % of Online Shoppers Who Abandoned a Shopping Cart for a Delivery-Related
Reason, 2018
3.7. Players
• Top 10 E-Commerce Websites by Audience Reach, in % of Internet Users, September 2018
• Breakdown of Frequency of Purchasing from Amazon, in % of Consumers, February 2019
9. 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS (3 OF 6)
4. Germany
4.1. Trends
• B2C E-Commerce Market Overview and International Comparisons, September 2019
• Devices Used for Shopping Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
• Breakdown of Research and Purchase Channels Used, in % of Consumers, 2015, 2019e & 2021f
• Breakdown of Awareness of Click & Collect, in %, 2018
4.2. Sales & Shares
• B2C E-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, by Three Comparative Estimates, and CAGR, in %, 2017 – 2023f
• B2C E-Commerce Share of Total Retail Sales, in %, by Two Comparative Estimates, 2017 - 2023f
4.3. Internet Users & Online Shoppers
• Number of Internet Users, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 – 2018
• Number of Online Shoppers, in millions, and Penetration, in % of Internet Users, 2012 - 2018
4.4. Products
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
• B2C E-Commerce Sales, by Product Category, in EUR billion, 2017 & 2018
4.5. Payment
• Breakdown of B2C E-Commerce Product Sales by Payment Methods, in %, 2017 & 2018
4.6. Delivery
• Criteria Applied to Choosing an Online Shop to Buy From, in % of Online Shoppers, 2018
4.7. Players
• Breakdown of B2C E-Commerce Sales by Player Type, in %, 2018
• Amazon’s Market Share of B2C E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2018
• Top 10 Online Shops, by Sales, in EUR million, 2018
10. 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS (4 OF 6)
5. France
5.1. Trends
• M-Commerce Share of B2C E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2014 - 2018
• M-Commerce Share of Retail E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2019f
• Devices Used for Shopping Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2018
5.2. Sales & Shares
• B2C E-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, 2016 - 2019f
• B2C E-Commerce Share of Retail E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2018
• Retail E-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, and Share of Total Retail Sales, in %, 2017 – 2023f
5.3. Internet Users & Online Shoppers
• Internet Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
• Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
5.4. Products
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
5.5. Payment
• Payment Methods Preferred in E-Commerce, in % of Online Shoppers, July 2018
• Breakdown of B2C E-Commerce Sales by Payment Methods, in %, 2018
5.6. Delivery
• Delivery Methods Used in E-Commerce, in % of Online Shoppers, 2018
5.7. Players
• Online Merchants’ Share of Total B2C E-Commerce Websites and B2C E-Commerce Market Sales, by Annual B2C E-Commerce Turnover, in
%, 2017 & 2018
• Top 5 E-Commerce Websites by Number of Monthly Visitors, in millions, Q1 2019
• Top 10 Online Shops, by Sales, in EUR million, 2018
11. 11
TABLE OF CONTENTS (5 OF 6)
6. Spain
6.1. Trends
• Devices Used for Shopping Online, in % of Online Shoppers, June 2019
• Breakdown of Research & Purchase Channels Used, in % Online Shoppers, June 2019
6.2. Sales & Shares
• B2C E-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, and Year-on-Year Change, in %, 2015 - 2019f
• B2C E-Commerce Share of Retail Sales, in %, 2018 & 2022f
6.3. Internet Users & Online Shoppers
• Internet Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
• Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
6.4. Products
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
6.5. Payment
• Payment Methods Used in E-Commerce, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
• Breakdown of Factors Most Important in Online Payment Methods, in % of Online Shoppers, October 2018
6.6. Delivery
• Factors Most Important to Customer Satisfaction in E-Commerce, in % of Online Shoppers, June 2019
6.7. Players
• Top 10 Online Shops, by Sales, in EUR million, 2018
• Top 5 Online Shops by Number of Orders, in millions, 2018
7. Italy
7.1. Trends
• M-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, and M-Commerce Share of B2C E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2017 – 2019f
• Cross-Border Imports Share of B2C E-Commerce Sales, in %, 2018e
12. 12
TABLE OF CONTENTS (6 OF 6)
7. Italy (Cont.)
7.2. Sales & Shares
• B2C E-Commerce Sales, in EUR billion, 2015 – 2019f
• B2C E-Commerce Share of Retail Sales, in %, 2018 & 2019f
7.3. Internet Users & Online Shoppers
• Internet Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
• Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Individuals, 2012 - 2018
7.4. Product
• Breakdown of B2C E-Commerce Sales by Products and Services, in %, 2015 – 2019f
• B2C E-Commerce Sales by Category, by Products and Services, in EUR million, and Year-on-Year Change, in %, 2018 & 2019f
• Product Categories Purchased Online, in % of Online Shoppers, 2017 & 2018
7.5. Payment
• Payment Methods Preferred in E-Commerce, in % of Online Shoppers, July 2018
• Breakdown of the Number of Online Purchase Transactions by Payment Methods, in %, Q1 2018
7.6. Delivery
• New Delivery Options Introduced, in % of E-Commerce Companies, 2018
7.7 Players
• Top 10 Online Shops, by Sales, in EUR million, 2018
14. 14
in%ofAdults
72% 74% 74%
77% 77% 78%
82%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Between 2018 and 2019, the share of UK adults making purchases
online increased from 78% to 82%.
UK: Online Shopper Penetration, in % of Adults, 2013-2019
Definition: adults (16+) in Great Britain who purchased online in the previous 12 months
Survey: based on the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, conducted around Q1 each year
Source: Office for National Statistics, August 2019
Sales & Shares DeliveryProductsUsers & Shoppers PlayersPaymentTrends
15. 15
B2C E-Commerce
6.4%
Other Retail
93.6%
2019f2018
B2C E-Commerce
7.2%
Other Retail
92.8%
B2C E-Commerce’s share of retail sales in Italy is projected to increase
from 6.4% in 2018 to 7.2% in 2019.
Italy: B2C E-Commerce Share of Retail Sales, in %, 2018 & 2019f
Definition: incudes sales of products, travel, insurance and other services; domestic and cross-border spending of Italian online shoppers
Source: Osservatori.net, School of Management del Politecnico di Milano and Netcomm cited by Tendenze Online, May 2019
Sales & Shares DeliveryProductsUsers & Shoppers PlayersPaymentTrends