NA Consumer Behavior Report 2023
NA Consumer Behavior Report 2023
ONLINE CONSUMER
BEHAVIOR
GLOBAL REPORT
Key e-commerce shopping trends for brands and retailers
looking to connect with more consumers
With our 2023 survey, we examine how, where, when and why consumers are shopping online right now —
and what it all means for brands and retailers preparing for the next stage in the industry’s development.
That’s why we partner with leading global research firm Dynata to conduct periodic surveys of online
consumers across the globe.
In August 2023, we polled more than 6,000 active online shoppers across the US, UK, Australia, France,
Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Our survey involved:
• 6,048 respondents split across Australia (1,008), France (1,006), Germany (1,008), UK (1,015), the US
(1,004), Sweden (504) and Denmark (503)
• Active online shoppers who had purchased at least one item online in the last 12 months
• Participants consisting of 3100 females (51%), 2929 male respondents (48%), and 15 who preferred
not to say (1%)
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
2 INTRODUCTION
4 GLOBAL TRENDS
15 Product Awareness
18 Product Consideration
21 Conversion
25 HOLIDAY 2023
27 ABOUT CHANNELADVISOR
We first noticed this trend in last year’s survey: The path to purchase is becoming increasingly fragmented
as consumers visit multiple sites before completing a transaction. If anything, this behavior is becoming even
more entrenched into the consumer mindset.
• Across all age groups, 83% of global shoppers visit two or more sites before making a purchase
• For those under age 36, 87% of consumers visit multiple sites
The trend is expanding to product browsing — without intention to purchase — as well. Eighty-nine percent
of global consumers are browsing online marketplaces and retail sites simply to discover products.
66+
No
11% 56-65
46-55
Yes 36-45
89%
26-35
18-25
As marketplaces continue to operate as online destinations consumers enjoy experiencing, they are replacing
the much-loved brick-and-mortar department store. Consumers look to marketplaces for:
Marketplaces have set a standard that many major retailers are now looking to replicate. And, as an
e-commerce seller, your strategy must approach finding the best environments for selling products across
multiple marketplaces.
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
• 84% of consumers regularly browse, shop or buy on multiple marketplaces if they’re looking for consumer
electronics, home furniture, sporting goods, automotive goods or jewelry and watches
Marketplaces also offer the ideal opportunity to purchase items from a different country than the shopper’s
residence. We’ve watched consumer ease with cross-border shopping grow in recent years, and
marketplaces tend to be a trusted location to make those transactions.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Total UK US Australia France Germany Sweden Denmark
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
• 44% of global shoppers purchased from a foreign site in the last year
• Nordic and Australian shoppers (58% and 52%, respectively) were most likely to shop on foreign sites
Retail media advertising has exploded over the last few years, leading to more ad types and retail media
networks for sellers to choose from as well as increased exposure for consumers. This modern, digital form of
point-of-purchase advertising has become a major center of discovery for ready-to-buy consumers.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
UK US Australia France Germany Sweden Denmark
• 45% of global consumers have clicked on a sponsored or promoted ad they saw on a marketplace or retail
site in the last year
• 56% of Swedes and 54% of Danes indicated they’d clicked on a retail media ad
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Younger consumers also appear most likely to use retail media as a regular part of their purchasing journey.
In the US, and much of the world, Amazon dominates the retail media market, as the marketplace that leads
the way in retail media innovation and implementation.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
UK US Australia France Germany Sweden Denmark
• Over half of US shoppers have purchased an item on Amazon after seeing an ad for the product on Amazon
• For younger shoppers, that figure is even higher — 62% of 18- to 25-year-olds and a whopping 70% of 26-
to 35-year-olds
As e-commerce has seeped further and further into the mainstream of consumers’ purchasing activities over
the years, returns have also begun to factor more prominently into their decisions. A significant majority (71%)
of global consumers indicate they only buy from sites that offer free returns.
This behavior poses a deeper concern for brand and retailer profitability. While consumer expectations might
demand free returns, that can come at a high cost, depending on a variety of factors.
Q: Do you agree with the following statement: I will only buy items from sites
that offer free returns
I will only buy items from sites that offer free returns 71% 68% 74%
When asked if they “sometimes don’t return items because it’s too complicated”, approximately half of
consumers across most countries agreed. Notably, 65% of Australians indicated this statement was true.
And while that might indicate short-term savings for a seller, it has an undeniable long-term impact on brand
perception and loyalty.
Nordics
Germany
France
Australia
US
UK
Global
What truths do these data points reveal? It’s clear that consumers expect more than ever from their
e-commerce experience and they’ll find the sellers willing to provide it.
In summary:
• Robust retail media campaigns (across multiple channels) are more important than ever
• Consumer expectations for free returns will continue impacting retail profitability
Intentional engagement with the consumer requires an in-depth understanding of their choices and clearly
presenting the value within a product.
As e-commerce grows and further fragments in myriad digital touchpoints, understanding where consumers tend
to begin their purchasing journeys becomes essential.
First, we find it important to determine the reason behind why the consumer is launching a buying journey: Is it to
purchase a product or to research a product? We’ve asked this question in every global consumer survey we’ve
conducted — and the results have been pretty consistent. Understanding the intent can help identify the potential
next steps a consumer may take.
The majority of global consumers visit search engines first, whether it’s to buy products (42%) or to research
products (43%), though many also visit brand websites (12% visit to buy and 14% visit to research) or Amazon
(33% to buy and 31% to research).
Search engine Brand website Amazon Search engine Brand website Amazon
1% 11% 1% 8%
• Amazon dominates in France (47%), Germany (45%), and the US (51%) for the location where consumers
visit to buy products
• Just 6% of Nordic consumers start on Amazon and 13% of Australians visit Amazon first
• Men indicated a preference for marketplaces and retail sites (42%) compared to women (23%)
A small but discernible percentage of consumers not only conduct most of their research on brand websites,
but also head to brand websites first when intending to buy a product in these categories:
• Jewelry/Watches (13%)
• Clothing/Shoes/Accessories (13% of consumers visit for research and 12% visit first for purchase)
Australia
Automotive/Motors/Marine
• When researching, 13% of global shoppers turned to brand websites, marketplaces outside Amazon or
retailer sites
• In the research phase, search engines (44%) significantly outperformed Amazon (28%)
» But 32% of consumers began searching for products to buy in this category from Amazon in the previous year
Consumer Electronics/Camera
• Brand websites play a stronger role in research (12% of consumers in this category use brand websites for
research) than a starting place for purchase (9%)
• Amazon
• Brand websites
» 9% of consumers conduct their research primarily on marketplaces outside Amazon or on retailers sites
» 10% start their product search on other marketplaces and retailer sites when ready to buy
Product Awareness
Consumers have more places and methods to discover products than ever. Identifying the strongest
influences — and factors in the interplay between multiple sources — remains a challenging task for
marketers.
Browsing marketplaces, brand and retailer websites remains the top activity that leads to product discovery,
though product presence in many sectors — online and off — contributes to awareness.
Q: In the past 12 months, how have you discovered the products you’ve
purchased online?
Other
Ads on radio
Ads in magazines/newspapers
Ads on marketplaces
Ads on TV or streaming
Ads and influencers on social
Ads on Google search
Amazon recommended products
Social media feeds
Word of mouth
Browsing brand or retailer websites
Browsing marketplaces
• 23% of global consumers indicated they found the products they’ve purchased online from their social
media feed — the exact same figure given for Amazon recommended products and ads on Google search
• 31% indicated they’ve discovered products they’ve purchased via “word of mouth (recommendations from
family/friends)”
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
For younger consumers, social media is becoming a key channel for product discovery.
• Globally, 63% of 18- to 25-year-olds said they’d been influenced to make a purchase after seeing a product
promoted by a brand on social media
• 53% of 26- to 35-year-olds and even 40% of 36- to 45-year-olds said the same.
Beyond age 45, that percentage drops off significantly — but as consumers age and habits deepen, brand
presence on social media will make a difference across demographics.
But product category certainly plays a large role when it comes to social. Consumers purchasing jewelry or
watches or sports and outdoor equipment, for example, display higher levels of influence by social media in
the last year (52% and 49%, respectively).
Digital Marketing
As digital marketing options have grown with the overall online shopping experience, it’s become essential for
product awareness and discovery for a growing number of consumers.
• Globally, 42% of consumers indicated they’d clicked on an online advertisement with intention to buy the
product in the last year
» This represents a rise from 2022 (40% overall) — notably, the behavior increased across all age
demographics compared to last year as well
• Sweden and Denmark (not surveyed in 2022) had the highest number of respondents indicate they clicked
on an ad with intent to purchase (57% and 54%, respectively)
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Product Consideration
When consumers begin seriously considering a product for purchase, their trust in the brand or retailer
comes into sharp focus. During this phase, the consumer begins to take notice of details, such as specific
product features or options for shipping and returns, that might factor into the decision to buy. Further product
research at this point must boost confidence in the seller, the product and the transaction itself.
Trusted Sites
In most parts of the world, Amazon continues to dominate as a trusted source of product information. In the
Nordics and Australia, where Amazon has lesser reach and influence, brand websites and other marketplaces
are the top places consumers turn for product information.
Once again, Australians tend to lean on sources outside Amazon when considering products prior to purchase.
When viewed through the lens of product category, however, some of the areas Australian consumers say
they trust the most reveal even more about their perceptions and decisions in their buying journeys.
• 52% of Australians trust brand websites most when shopping for beauty/health/personal care products
» 23% of shoppers in this category indicated they trust other marketplaces or retailer sites most
• 36% trust other marketplaces or retailer sites most when shopping for tools/hardware/DIY/lawn & garden
» 39% of shoppers in this category indicated they trust brand websites most
• 32% trust Amazon most when shopping for consumer electronics/cameras, marking the category with the
greatest trust in Amazon information
» 41% of shoppers in this category trust brand websites most for product information
• 86% of global consumers compare prices before making their final purchase
• 97% of global consumers indicated price was a “very important” or “somewhat important” factor for them
when choosing products to buy
• 49% of global consumers said they’d abandoned a purchase because they suspected the price could be
better elsewhere or would become lower in the future
Denmark
Sweden
US
UK
In this critical moment on the consumer journey, consumers make those final clicks to complete the
transaction. The consumer has decided the selected product beats the competition, trusts the platform on
which they’re making the purchase and accepts the time frame for shipping or delivery.
What causes the buyer to pause? A number of factors. Out-of-stock product, pricing concerns, poor reviews
and limited or unclear product information cause the most abandoned carts globally, though some regional
differences are apparent.
Notably, an abandoned purchase does not signal the end of the purchasing journey. In particular, when a
product is out of stock, consumers often simply turn elsewhere — to a different platform, a different brand or a
different product. Some, especially younger shoppers, simply give up on the purchase altogether.
Q: In the past 12 months, have you used ‘buy online, pick-up in-store’ (or
click and collect) options when shopping online?
However, it’s still important to understand your target consumer demographics. Curbside pickup options
remain most popular globally for those under the age of 46 and within specific geographic locations.
• 47% of 18- to 25-year-old consumers have used curbside pickup in the past year
• 50% of UK consumers and 48% of US consumers have used curbside pickup in the last year
• 17% of German consumers and 36% of French consumers have used curbside pickup in the last year
Home, outdoor, automotive and related categories were among those used most frequently for curbside
pickup in the past 12 months.
• 60% of Australian consumers used curbside pickup for home furniture purchases
Clothing, shoes, beauty, personal care and related purchases were generally not used for curbside pickup.
• 59% of French consumers and 51% of US consumers did not choose curbside pickup when buying beauty/
health/personal care products
• 78% of German consumers did not choose curbside pickup when buying clothes/shoes/accessories
50%
45%
40%
35%
76% 30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
of global consumers
0%
consider it important 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
As marketing strategies continue to shift away from cookies, gathering data directly from loyal consumers
has become more valuable. Although approximately half or more of consumers in most countries do not yet
regularly use a loyalty program for online shipping, a core subset of consumers do engage in this activity.
Q: Have you signed up for and regularly use any retailer’s loyalty program
for online shopping?
Denmark
Sweden
Germany
Yes
France
No
Australia
Don't know
US
UK
The product categories with the highest reported rate of loyalty program subscriptions in the US included:
• Jewelry/Watches (62%)
• Automotive/Motors/Marine (59%)
• Toys/Games/Hobbies/Crafts (57%)
Total person person person person person person person person person person 68% France person person person person person person person person person person 77%
UK person person person person person person person person person person 70% Germany person person person person person person person person person person 58%
US person person person person person person person person person person 75% Sweden person person person person person person person person person person 61%
Australia person person person person person person person person person person 71% Denmark person person person person person person person person person person 62%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66+
Additionally, this year, for the first time, we included physical stores as an optional answer when asking where
consumers plan to conduct most of their holiday shopping. The response cannot be ignored and emphasizes
the need for omnichannel strategies. Globally, the likelihood consumers would conduct most of their
holiday purchasing in a physical store increased with age (16% for shoppers aged 18-35 compared to
48% for shoppers aged 66+).
Social
media sites 1% 2% 2% 2% 1% 3% 2%
Other online
marketplaces or 15% 13% 17% 12% 11% 31% 19%
retail sites
German online shoppers gave the greatest indication they plan to buy most of their festive season purchases
on Amazon (56% of consumers). Among the responses from German shoppers, plans to buy on Amazon
dominated across all categories but several showed particular strength.
• 64% of consumers shopping for sports/outdoor equipment and toys/games/hobbies/crafts plan to make
most purchases on Amazon
• 63% of consumers shopping for consumer electronics/camera items, automotive/motors/marine parts and
products from general merchandise/mass merchants/department stores plan to buy on Amazon
With a centralized platform connected to the world’s leading end-to-end e-commerce network,
ChannelAdvisor, a CommerceHub company, offers a comprehensive, multichannel solution
through a single e-commerce partner. Our experienced team manages more than $500 million
in digital ad spend every year, executing strategic visions and empowering performance for tens
of thousands of brands and retailers. We can help you streamline your e-commerce operations,
scale your business and optimize your strategies during any phase of your multichannel journey.