European E-commerce Report 2021

​Physical goods dominate European eCommerce spending, while digital services and travel continue their slow recovery according to the Nexi 2021 eCommerce Report.

​Post-pandemic payment trends continue to evolve, with German eCommerce consumers now choosing eWallets above long-time favourite open invoicing, while Italian consumers signal strong confidence in the security benefits of PayPal, according to the latest eCommerce Report from European PayTech Nexi Group.

The 2021 eCommerce Report conducts a deep dive into eCommerce data from Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, where a collective €493 billion was spent last year.

Key findings include:

• When given a choice, German consumers will almost always opt for e-wallets. 39% prefer this method, compared to 23% who prefer paying by invoice.
• Austria shares this new love for eWallets (25%), favouring simplicity, security and speed.
• Italy markedly prefers PayPal (50%), with 58% citing security as a critical factor in their decision. The second favourite option is debit cards at 19%.
• Danish consumers overwhelmingly prefer credit card payments (51%), but over a third (34%) prefer the simplicity of MobilePay.
• Consumers in Finland still prefer “traditional” transaction technologies like online banking payments (34%) and credit cards (24%), while newer payment methods like PayPal and MobilePay still have ground to make up.
• Local payment methods, like VIPPS in Norway (23%) and Swish in Sweden (19%), remain popular.

 “The Nexi European eCommerce Report 2021 shows that while consumers expect their payments to be secure, they still value convenience and simplicity when conducting online transactions,” said Omar Haque, Head of Group E-commerce at Nexi Group. “It’s likely that consumers now have greater trust in purchasing products online than before the pandemic, which could in fact have helped democratise online purchases across all categories in Europe.”

“Understanding what makes consumers abandon a cart, such as not being offered their preferred payment option, is critical to improving sales, and stores that can enhance this aspect of the experience stand to win the most. This new report offers eCommerce businesses deeper insights into consumer behaviours across Europe so they can tailor their offer and grow their business.”

Interested in examining the situation in other markets? We offer the following reports:

• Norway
• Denmark
• Sweden
• Germany
• Austria