Nearly 40% of consumers have purchased goods online from another country
Nearly 40 per cent of consumers have purchased goods online from another country, research from the 2014 Pitney Bowes Global Online Shopping Study has found, with 63 per cent of Australians having done so.
The research surveyed 12,000 adults across 12 countries to find that nearly all respondents (96 per cent) have made an online purchase, with 70 per cent of US respondents having done so.
Of all those who have bought from another country, 68 per cent said they did so because it was cheaper, while 46 per cent did so because of availability and 38 per cent because of a better selection.
“Retailers looking to expand their businesses online to international markets should consider the unique mindsets and shopping preferences of consumers in each country,” said Craig Reed, vice president of global e-commerce at Pitney Bowes.
“In addition, it’s critical for retailers to provide buyers with clarity and accuracy in the online buying process, certainty and transparency in delivery, and competitive pricing. Once these barriers to consumer confidence are overcome, the opportunities and appetite for buying goods outside their own country can increase dramatically.”
The biggest barrier to cross-border commerce is high shipping costs, with 68 per cent citing this as their biggest obstacle, while 58 per cent named additional fees as a bugbear, and long delivery time was cited by 42 per cent.