New research from BigCommerce and Retail Dive highlights a significant shift in consumer shopping preferences, revealing that 39% of shoppers prefer online shopping compared to just 21% who favor in-person shopping. This trend shows no signs of slowing, with 77% of online shoppers spending the same amount or more this year as they did last year.

“Consumers are finding value in online shopping through discounts, free gifts, and the convenience of having items shipped directly to them,” said Airon White, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at BigCommerce. “Online shopping provides people with more freedom and flexibility, and I believe this trend will continue to grow.”

Understanding how online shoppers find products, make purchases, and what factors influence their loyalty or lead to cart abandonment can help retailers better cater to their needs. This report, based on a survey of over 1,300 adults who make online purchases at least once per month, delves into the trends and preferences of online shoppers.

How and Where Online Customers Shop:

• Frequency of Online Shopping: Online shoppers, defined as those who make purchases through websites, apps, or social media, are generally frequent shoppers. Over three-quarters (76%) of respondents made online purchases more than once per month, with almost half (49%) making online purchases at least once per week.
• Popular Categories: The most popular categories for online purchases included apparel and accessories, with 47% of shoppers reporting an online purchase in this category within the last 30 days. Health and beauty products followed at 40%, and restaurant and grocery items at 36%.

Subscription Shopping Trends:

• Top Subscription Categories: Groceries were the top category for subscription purchases. The most frequently purchased or received subscription items included groceries (30%), entertainment (22%), and cosmetics/body care (21%).

Cart Abandonment:

• High Rate of Abandonment: Despite the high frequency of online shopping and the wide variety of goods purchased, cart abandonment remains a significant issue. A full 74% of respondents reported abandoning a shopping cart within the last month.

This comprehensive report aims to provide retailers with valuable insights into the behavior and preferences of online shoppers, helping them to better attract and retain customers in an increasingly competitive market. Don’t miss downloading the full report to continue reading.

Related guide: How to Take Your B2B Brand Direct-to-Consumer | Bigcommerce

The Table of Contents of “Global Consumer Trends Report”:

• How and where online customers are shopping.
• Opportunities to solve shopper pain points and drive conversions.
• How shoppers are finding and buying products.
• Key takeaways.
• Conclusion.
• Methodology

Number of Pages:

• 15 pages

Pricing: 

• Free

Methodology

BigCommerce enlisted Retail Dive to conduct a consumer survey from May 24, 2023, to June 16, 2023. There were 1,307 participants total
across North America (738n), Europe (558n), the Middle East (9n), and Africa (2n). All respondents were required to be over 18 years old,
generate more than $20,000 USD a year in household income, and make online purchases at least once per month in order to qualify. Household income was localized per region (i.e., $20,000+ USD, £16,047+ GBP, €18,416+ EU, and $27,082+ CAD).