Digital marketing company Ranking Solutions has commented on European delivery and shopping study

Shoppers in the UK use the internet three times as much for online shopping as their German equivalents and twice as much as their French equivalents, that’s according to a newly released study on consumer habits.

The annual Parcel Deliveries Usage and Attitude Survey, conducted by Hermes, looked at the habits of 4,000 consumers in Europe’s three biggest economies, finding that 27% of people surveyed in the UK reported to having used the internet to purchase goods within the previous three months.

By comparison, only 10% of Germans and 14% of French people who were asked said that they’d shopped online in the past three months.

More impressive still, 42% of British people responded that they intended to use the internet more frequently in future for buying products, compared with 30% and 28% of French and German respondents respectively.

When asked whether they planned to buy from more retailers in future, 73% of Britons, 64% of French people and 58% of Germans said they did.

CEO of Hermes, Carole Woodhead, said the findings indicate consumer confidence is up.

“The research shows that the online shopping industry continues to grow at a prolific pace and consumer confidence has rocketed and I am pleased to see that investment in good delivery options has played a key role in this. It presents online retailers with a huge opportunity to continue to expand their customer base and increase revenue,” she said.

It was also found that confidence in overseas sellers is also up as 84% of British respondents said they had made a purchase from an overseas seller. On the other hand, French and German people were found to be much more likely to buy from UK retailers as opposed to American or Chinese, likely because of the faster delivery times.

Ranking Solutions, a British-based digital marketing agency, also responded positively to the findings, suggesting that British businesses and shoppers dominate the European online shopping market, stressing the importance of a web presence in the internet age.

“There are more people in the UK using the internet to buy goods or services than ever before. Surveys show that we lead the way in Europe, embracing new and more convenient ways to shop. It’s for this reason that businesses in their droves have put huge emphasis on their online presence,” explained a Ranking Solutions spokesman.

They also believe that with more people using the internet to buy goods than ever before, it’s becoming increasingly important to market businesses online.

Adding, “This study also shows the importance of digital marketing. Search engine optimisation, social media and pay per click are now crucial for businesses vying for a healthy stream of website visits and positive sales figures.”

Ranking Solutions are based in Burnley, Lancashire and specialise in social media, SEO, PPC, responsive site designs and more. Visit their website today at www.rankingsolutions.com.