PayPal’s survey examined the online and cross-border shopping habits of over 23,200 consumers in 29 countries to uncover opportunities and best practices for merchants who want to grow their international business.
Insights about international buyers
PayPal and Ipsos research provides insight into where consumers are buying from, what’s important to them and how they pay for goods and services.*
Bought in the USA: #1
The US is still the #1 destination for all cross-border shoppers (25% purchased from US-based websites in the past 12 months).
China On the Rise
32% of Chinese respondents shopped cross-border in 2015, vs. 26% in 2014 and this has increased in 2017.
The Top Drivers and Barriers
1. Mobile Matters More than Ever.
Mobile commerce is a key driver of global online shopping: 47% of online shoppers made a purchase via smartphone in the last year …and still growing: Mobile commerce accounted for a reported 16% of consumer online spend in the last 12 months; estimated to grow to 19.4% in the next 12 months.
2. Invest in SEO
SEO has a big influence on online cross-border shoppers. Top methods cited for finding international websites: “I go directly to websites I have used in the past” (58%) “I go directly to websites I know the web address for” (40%) “When I search for particular brands or products on a search engine, sometimes this leads me to foreign sites” (38%).
3. Keep Shipping Top of Mind
Shipping cost is the top reason for cart abandonment among cross-border shoppers: 43% of those who abandon a purchase cite “shipping/postage charges were too high” Almost half of shoppers (47%) say delivery costs deter them from making international purchases more often 50% of shoppers say free shipping would make them more likely to buy cross-border; 38% cite free return shipping as a potential driver.
Whether you’re new to selling internationally or a pro, it pays to have a plan in place. We’ve outlined easy ways to consider when planning for international growth. More here.
The top reasons that consumers are buying cross-border online:
Better prices (76%)
Access to items not available in my country (65%)
I can discover new and interesting products (59%)
Websites in this country have more variety/availability of different products and styles (52%)
Shipping is more affordable (50%)
The most popular destinations for cross-border shoppers to buy from online:
China (21%)
USA (17%)
UK (13%)
Germany (7%)
Japan (4%)
The top barriers to cross-border shopping among those consumers who shop cross-border include:
Delivery shipping costs (43%)
Concern that they may not receive the item (35%)
Return shipping costs (34%)
Having to pay customs duties/fees and/or taxes (33%)
Too much to handle!
Expand your international sales with the help of Oz Robotics
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* Starting from January 1st 2018, there will be a monthly subscription fee for new suppliers/vendors partners and resellers.
The global sales opportunity with Oz Robotics
Globalization and internet adoption are creating opportunities for small businesses to reach new customers abroad, but studies shows that individual website owners going through hard times to maintain their sites with fast changing technology, online security breaches with fraudulent purchases and overall marketing.
