Share of online shoppers in Germany 2023, by age group
In 2023, over 78 percent of 25- to 45-year-olds in Germany had ordered and purchased products online in the past three months. They were also the largest age group of online consumers. 65- to 75-year-olds were the group that online shopped the least.
Where are people shopping online?
Some of the most visited fashion websites in Germany included zalando.de, hm.com, and shein.com. Zalando is especially popular because it sells items from multiple different brands, allowing the consumer to find all different types of clothes, shoes, accessories, and more in one place. Another advantage of shopping online is that consumers are not just limited to shopping in the country in which they live. Products can be ordered from almost anywhere in the world (if, of course, consumers are willing to pay a little extra). If you find a better deal elsewhere or a product that is not available anywhere in the home country, then this can be a good reason to make a purchase on a foreign website.
Challenges of online shopping
Online shopping, however, is not without its challenges. According to consumers, something that prevents them from purchasing online is not trusting the payment and checkout process. This could be due to worries about credit card information being stolen or paying for an item that is never delivered. It is not only the purchasing process that can cause problems. Sometimes once the product arrives it is returned. Products that are most often returned, in Germany and, in fact, the whole of Europe, fall into the fashion category. This could be for several reasons: The item does not fit, it looks different than on the website, or even because it arrives too late. The problem with sending items back is that it has a negative impact on the environment. When asked, consumers did acknowledge that measures could be taken to reduce the number of returns such as more accurate and detailed product descriptions, more accurate information about sizing, and the opportunity to leave customer reviews.
