Shoppers in countries neighboring Romania interested in foreign online stores, study shows
The majority of e-shoppers from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary frequently search for deals on foreign websites, opening the door for Romanian online stores looking to expand their businesses, according to a new DPD Romania study.
The study, which analyzed the profile of e-shoppers from eight neighboring EU countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary), reveals that the most sought-after products are fashion items (69% in the Czech Republic and Slovakia), footwear (over 60% in Poland and Bulgaria), and products in the beauty/healthcare category (over 50% in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria).
The most active e-shoppers in the studied markets, who make online purchases from foreign websites, are those from Slovenia (80%) and Hungary (77%), as stated in the cited study.
Footwear is the flagship product in four out of the eight analyzed e-commerce markets in the DPD Romania study - Poland (64%, EU average 49%), Bulgaria (61%), Slovenia (54%), and Hungary (53%) - while fashion items rank first in the preferences of e-shoppers from the other three markets: the Czech Republic and Slovakia (69%, EU average 63%), and Croatia (65%).
Romania is the only market in the region where the beauty/healthcare category tops the list (64%); in the other eight studied markets, it ranks third, with percentages ranging from 56% (Poland) to 43% (Slovenia).
The top preferences of e-shoppers in the eight studied countries include books, highly sought after in Poland (50%), Bulgaria (47%), Hungary (37%), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (35%), and Slovenia (32%); accessories and jewelry in Croatia (49%) and Poland (35%); recreational products in Croatia (49%) and Slovakia (33%); home appliances in Poland (45%) and Bulgaria (31%); fresh food and beverages in Hungary (43%) and Slovenia (32%); and medications in Poland (42%), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (37%), Bulgaria (31%), and Slovenia (29%).
"All this information and many other similar insights we have about each e-commerce market in Europe can be transformed into opportunities and advantages for online stores looking to sell their products in these markets. Detailed knowledge about local e-shoppers, future customers, is essential for successful entry into these e-commerce markets," says Nadia Talpă, CCO of DPD Romania.
E-shoppers from all eight studied markets make purchases from foreign online stores. Slovenians (80%) and Hungarians (77%) are the most active in this regard, considering that the EU average for shopping from foreign websites is 57%. The other studied markets also have percentages well above the EU average: Bulgaria (71%), Croatia (68%), Slovakia (63%), and the Czech Republic (62%). For comparison, in Romania, the percentage is 67%.
E-shoppers from the countries neighboring Romania primarily search for products in foreign online stores to find better prices than those available locally. Slovenians (79%), Hungarians (76%), Bulgarians (71%), Croats (65%), Slovaks (61%), and Poles (60%) show the most interest in this aspect, while the European average for this category is 52%. 64% of Romanian e-shoppers state that they search for products on foreign websites to find better prices.
Another significant reason for choosing foreign websites is the unavailability of certain products or brands in local markets. Croatians excel in this regard (63%, above the European average of 52%), while Czech e-shoppers seem less interested in this aspect (only 39%). Bulgarians and Slovenians show interest close to the European average (52%), followed by Hungarians (51%).
Additionally, Slovenians (25%) express the highest desire among the studied markets for foreign websites to be available in their own language. They are followed by Poles (17%), Czechs (15%), and Bulgarians (13%), while the European average for this aspect is 13%, according to the DPD Romania study. The majority of e-shoppers in the studied countries are satisfied if the websites are in English.
DPD Romania, a courier company, is part of Geopost, the European leader in road deliveries, and has been active in the local market since 2008, following the acquisition of Pegasus Courier. It employs over 1,800 people (including franchises) and delivers over 22 million parcels annually.
(Photo source: Mrmrsmarcha | Dreamstime.com)
