Ecommerce in the UK: A guide for businesses
19 Nov 2024
How UK shoppers feel about the economy
How UK consumers plan to shop
The UK’s most popular online payment methods
What UK shoppers expect from online retailers
How UK consumers shop online
How to drive repeat online purchases in the UK
What inspires UK customers to buy?
Next, we asked UK consumers about the things that stop them scrolling and inspire them to buy when they’re online.
In total, 45% of UK consumers say that a discount offer when leaving a retailer's website inspires them to buy. An email or newsletter from a retailer and previously favourited items are also good buying triggers, as are email reminders and personalised recommendations.
Dave: “A well-designed, informative, and engaging newsletter or email can remind one-off customers about your brand and products. Utilise newsletter discounts, share items they previously favourited and items left in their cart to remind shoppers what they’re missing.”
Why do UK shoppers abandon their carts
We also asked UK shoppers what causes them to abandon their carts.
The leading reason UK shoppers abandon their online shopping carts is high shipping costs or taxes, with 57% citing this as a concern. Other significant reasons include security concerns during payment (48%) and not being offered preferred payment methods (40%).
Reducing cart abandonment requires a multi-faceted approach: transparent pricing, secure payment options, and multiple payment methods are all crucial. By listing the cost of shipping, tax, and returns early at checkout, you can address the top concern of UK shoppers. Offering secure payments is also key. And offering multiple payment methods, such as PayPal, Open Banking, and digital wallets, can provide the flexibility that customers expect.
Dave: “It’s pretty well known that customers don’t like paying for shipping costs. Offering them an incentive such as free shipping for orders over a set amount – such as £50 – can encourage them to complete a purchase and even buy more items to qualify for the offer.”
How UK shoppers use social media
As part of our survey, we also asked consumers how they use social media to research and buy products.
Social media, particularly YouTube (50%) and Facebook (42%), is a pivotal tool for UK consumers in their product research. Interestingly, Facebook (40%) surpasses YouTube (35%) when it comes to actual purchases, highlighting the significant role of social media in consumer behaviour.
This underscores the need for retailers to use an omnichannel strategy, where social media platforms are used for product marketing and as direct sales channels. Optimising product discovery and integrating easy checkout options on social platforms should improve conversion rates.
Ecommerce in the UK: final thoughts
So, what have we learned from the data?
How UK shoppers feel: They are optimistic about the economic future but still quite price-conscious.
Future outlook: The UK ecommerce market is steady, with many expecting their online shopping to either increase or remain at the same level.
What shoppers expect: They prioritise convenience, preferring a smooth checkout process and access to their preferred payment methods. Offering free returns and shipping is also important.
Customer loyalty: Pricing competitively and offering free shipping and preferred payment methods drive repeat purchases in the UK.
Attracting customers: Competitive pricing, discounts, and clear communication can help attract UK shoppers.
Cart abandonment: High shipping costs and a lack of preferred payment methods are the main reasons for cart abandonment.
Grow your ecommerce business in the UK with Mollie
Here at Mollie, we’re on a mission to make payments and money management effortless for every business in Europe. We do that with a single platform that streamlines every payment process, from converting customers to settling your accounts.
Here’s what it offers:
A conversion-optimised checkout: Win every sale by offering your customers a personalised, frictionless checkout experience.
35+ payment methods: Convert more customers with their preferred payment methods – from local options to global favourites.
Easy setup: Quickly accept payments with our ready-made plugins and best-in-class API.
The Mollie Dashboard and app: Manage transactions, process refunds, get insights, and accept payments – anytime, anywhere.
Fraud prevention: Protect your business and boost your revenue with customisable fraud tooling.
Local support in your language: Get help from our multilingual customer support teams whenever you need it.
Discover how our online payment solution can grow your business in the UK and across mainland Europe.
We partnered with leading research agency Coleman Parkes to survey 10,000 European consumers who shop online (at least one online purchase in the last month, though 66% had bought something in the previous week).
The research was conducted online in July and August 2024.
The research was conducted across the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Germany, and France, with 2,000 surveys conducted in each market. To get a true representation of consumers in the research sample, a mix of age ranges, genders, and income brackets was included.
About the research
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