According to the report, ecommerce companies in the Nordic region need to offer sales through multiple channels.
During an average month in 2016, 4.7 million Swedish consumers shopped online (67% of the total population), while 2.6 million Danish (64%), 2.4 million Norwegian (65%) and 1.9 million Finnish consumers (49%) did the same during that period. Swedes spent on average EUR 151 euros per person per months, which is lower than Danish (EUR 162) or Norwegian consumers (EUR 173) did. But it’s more than the average estimated value per person per month in Finland (EUR 135).
Swedes spent EUR 8.5 billion in 2016. In Denmark, consumers are said to have spent EUR 5.1 billion, the same amount as consumers in Norway did. Finland ranks with EUR 3.2 billion in 2016.
In the Nordics, clothing and footwear are the most popular products purchased online. These are followed by media and home electronics. The purchasing pattern is quite similar in this region, but there are also some differences apparent. For example, it’s more common to buy groceries online in Denmark, while online consumers in Sweden buy health and beauty products more often than their Nordic neighbours.
Over one-third of online consumers in the Nordics make purchases from international ecommerce websites every month. Finland and Norway are more dependent on foreign players than Sweden and Denmark. In 2016, purchases from foreign retailers accounted for 25%, or EUR 5.4 billion, of total ecommerce consumption in the Nordics. The UK and China are the most popular countries to purchase from, followed by Germany, the US and Sweden.
PostNord’s study shows that one in four Nordic consumers who shopped online has made a purchase via their mobile phone. In all four countries, consumers aged 18-49 years do this much more often than older consumers, but in Sweden, consumers shop using their mobile phone almost twice as much as their Finnish counterparts.
In Finland and Norway, consumers prefer to have their goods delivered in the mailbox at home, while picking up items at collection points is most popular in Sweden and Denmark. And in Finland, many consumers like to use parcel boxes that are available throughout the day.
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