Next, we explore how consumer shopping behaviour has changed over the last 12 months.

The results point towards shoppers becoming more price-conscious and willing to do more research before buying products. But, once they find a brand that treats them well, they seem to stay loyal to them and are more likely to buy from them again.

Now here’s the next biggest changes in behaviour. 

Almost a fifth (19%) of people are less likely to respond to ads they see online, and around the same amount are more likely to return an item they are unsure about. The biggest change is people’s attitudes towards buy now, pay later, with numbers down across most markets, and a large drop-off in the Netherlands.

We asked Happy Horizon, a creative digital agency that specialises in helping online businesses, to take a look at the data. Here’s their Chief Innovation Officer, Heidi Anthonis, on some of the trends they see in the results and European ecommerce generally.

“It’s tempting to focus on the behaviour around pricing and returns,” Heidi says. “But what stands out most to me is the importance of brand loyalty. Consumers are seeking trust when researching online. Trust from people they know, influencers, or brands they follow. You can see that in the increase in loyalty for trusted brands and brands that offer excellent experiences. 

“Consumers are still researching online, but often get ad fatigue because of the enormous amount of options available. This means they’ll more often pre-select and shop with a selection of their favourite brands. You can also see a mix of online and offline shopping behaviour, so brands that offer seamless omnichannel experiences will have a better chance of winning a customer’s loyalty.”