Online Shoppers Prefer International Sites

/ 30th August 2018 /

The number of Irish consumers shopping at international online stores exceeds the number of domestic online shoppers in Ireland, according to new PayPal research.

Around 2.2 million Irish consumers made a purchase from an overseas website in the last 12 months, compared with 2.1 million domestic online shoppers.

PayPal’s research also suggests that Irish online consumers are the biggest international shoppers worldwide, with a larger proportion (84%) shopping overseas than all 30 other countries surveyed for the report.

The Global Cross Border Commerce Report, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of PayPal, involved online interviews with some 34,000 people from 31 countries.

Irish online shoppers spent €2.7bn overseas in the past 12 months. Almost 500,000 people – 19% of all online shoppers – solely bought from websites outside of Ireland.

Lower prices, more product variety and affordable shipping were some of the main drivers behind Irish shoppers choosing to buy from the top three import markets (UK, USA and China). Irish online shoppers were also deterred from shopping on domestic websites due to delivery fees (34%) and return shipping costs (21%).

The survey revealed that total online spend is currently growing at around 20% year-on-year in Ireland. The study also forecasts that Irish consumers will spend €7.8bn online this year, and up to €10bn by 2020.

Mobile Payments

Mobile payments are rapidly growing in Ireland, based on the PayPal-commissioned research. Two-thirds of those surveyed shopped using a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, in the last 12 months.

The research estimates that mobile spending in Ireland will grow by 61% in 2018 to €2.8bn.

Louise Phelan (pictured), PayPal VP for continental Europe, the Middle-East and Africa, said that Irish firms have a tremendous opportunity to attract more customers and increase online sales.

“It’s all about putting yourself in your customer’s shoes and understanding how to turn a browser into a buyer,” she added. “For example, the number of Irish consumers making a purchase on their mobile is growing at such a phenomenal rate that having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional – it is absolutely vital for the future of any business.”