DHL has released the first outcome of its global Online Shopper Trends Report 2024, providing valuable insights into the behaviour of online shoppers.
The initial chapter highlights trends shaping today’s e-commerce landscape, based on a survey of consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Results show a rising popularity of social commerce, with some 75% of online shoppers from SSA using their smartphone as their primary device for purchasing.
Speaking about the new trends reports, Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding MEA: “Our Online Shopper Trends Report aims to assess how people shop online, as well as understand what causes them to abandon their shopping baskets. High delivery costs, long delivery times, having to pay for returns, not enough product information, and not enough product images were some of the top reasons cited by global shoppers. Offering reliable delivery and returns can help solve shoppers’ frustrations and improve their experience.”
Sales through social media platforms are expected to reach $2tn by 2025 compared to estimated $700bn in 2024. This would represent an approximately twelve-fold increase within a span of six years. With this also comes a shift in preferred devices for buying online. Most online shoppers in SSA (75%) prefer to browse and purchase products with their smartphones, using them as the dominant shop window and purchasing device. Of course, this also has implications for the presentation of products and the structure of online stores.
“In Sub-Saharan Africa, consumer purchasing patterns are being impacted by social and technological trends, including social media. People also want to know who the delivery provider is before making a purchase. By understanding these emerging trends in the e-commerce landscape, DHL is well-equipped to tailor its services and provide exceptional solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers globally,” said Diallo.
Download the Online Shopper Trends Report 2024
