Online Shopping Trends In Germany

Germany is, without a doubt, one of the biggest and most flourishing markets for digital advertising in Europe. It is even the 4th largest online market worldwide. Even though fast broadband internet is still considered a luxury asset in Germany, the lack of access to fast internet does not affect the shopping behaviour of German consumers at all.

Just over nine out of every ten Germans ordered something online in 2018. That’s roughly 50 million online shoppers. Clothes and shoes are the most purchased products, followed by furniture and other consumer goods. Almost half of them tend to spend between 100 and 500 Euros. Most Germans regularly go online, and four out of 10 have active social media accounts, spending several hours per day browsing them.

SUNDAY = SHOPPING DAY?

To summarise: German customers love online shopping and discovering new products on their mobile devices, with around 65% of Germans owning a smartphone. However, when is the best time to target them?

That’s a hard question to answer, since several surveys show that Germans don’t seem to have any favourite weekday or time frame when it comes to doing their online shopping. However, there are some trends worth mentioning. After-work hours seem to be prime time for treating yourself in Germany. The majority of German shoppers prefer to check the newest online sales and offers in the evening between 6 pm and midnight.

Is there any particular weekday that shows a boost in online shopping behaviour in Germany? There are different statistics providing varying numbers. Sunday is often pointed out, when all shopping centres and shops are closed – the official day off for all commercial locations – people tend to browse and buy online, followed by Monday as the second most likely online shopping day. However, due to conflicting data, there is no particular day that has been proven, definitively, to be the best for ecommerce activity.

So, if you’re aiming to reach German online shoppers, you should ensure that your ads are running during the evening and throughout the weekend. Be aware that German consumers look for a seamless shopping experience, and are unlikely to purchase a product based only on an appealing online shop. Offering incentives such as free returns, shipping, or discount codes might make them more likely to click the “order now” button.

Such incentives can be rolled out via social media and email marketing campaigns. For help marketing your product or services to an international audience, contact us for a quote today.