50% e-shoppers engage in cross-border e-commerce, say reports

More than 50 per cent of global online shoppers buy from e-commerce sellers in other countries, according to several consumer surveys conducted across the globe in 2016. The primary motivation of these shoppers is to find better prices, but also to reach products of a better quality or items not available in their own country, says a recent report.

Apparel is one of the categories with highest demand in cross-border e-retail across the world, says the Global Cross-Border B2C E-commerce 2017 report by yStats.

Delivery and shipping costs are the main concern preventing more online shoppers from making purchases from out-of-country sellers, according to a survey cited in the report. Third-party research shows that in 2016 more than one-half of shoppers received free delivery on their latest cross-border online purchase.

When it comes to choosing payment methods, cross-border online shoppers consider service fees and purchase value and tend to use credit card and e-wallets more than other payment means. Countries such as the US, China, and the UK are the top destinations for cross-border online shoppers.

The report also reveals a clear trend in favour of intra-regional trade, especially in Europe and North America. Large e-commerce marketplaces in these countries are among the major winners of the cross-border growth. In 2016, nearly two-thirds of cross-border online shoppers made their latest international purchase from Amazon, eBay, AliExpress or Alibaba.