Last month we looked into some of the UK results from the international consumer research we conducted to explore online shopping habits across both the UK and Spain. In this article, we’re going to take a deeper dive into the results for Spain and the impact eCommerce is having on the Iberian Peninsula.

As we saw with the UK, the study clearly demonstrated online retail’s emphatic advance on the high street. A massive 80% of Spaniards say they’re shopping more online now than they did a year ago. In fact, almost a third (29%) say they make a purchase online once a month , one in four buys online every two or three weeks, and 22% buy goods or services once a week. While men and women showed similar online purchasing habits, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was the younger age group, 16 to 34 years olds, who had the highest purchase frequency , indulging in online retail therapy more than seven times a month! The research also probed into the psychology of shoppers. Only 19% said they had a clear idea of what they were looking for when shopping online while 47% said they like to have a browse or general look around and are seeking inspiration. This presents a huge opportunity for online retailers who create stand-out digital customer experiences and, through really getting their customers, are able to create personalised product suggestions.

We also looked at the most popular retailers and, when selecting their favourites from a list of the top Spanish retailers, el Corte Ingles proved to be the most popular (39%) followed by Aliexpress (33%) and then Zara (33%).

The results varied between men and women, the former preferring el Corte Ingles while the latter went for the country’s leading fashion house, and global eCommerce giant, Zara. MediaMarkt came in as the fourth most popular followed by Amazon and Fnac.

It was also interesting to see the factors that influence why consumers choose one online brand over another. Spaniards, it seems, are especially shrewd with 67% selecting the price of products as the leading factor and differentiator, increasing to 76% for consumers over 45 years old. This was followed by free delivery and return options (66%) and the site having a good search function (32%) came in as the third most important aspect of an eCommerce store.

It’s perhaps not surprising then that 43% of Spanish consumers said they use the search option every time or a lot of the time when shopping online . Furthermore, 35% of users use search tools to find their desired product, 32% opt for filters and website navigation with only 18% using offers and promotions to find the products they want. This certainly aligns with what we’ve been seeing lately and the changes our customers are making with search boxes becoming bigger and also more prominent. Take Zara for example, the third largest eCommerce site in the world, and, according to our survey results, the preferred site of Spanish females. We can clearly see how the search box has evolved, moving from the bottom of the menu options, to the top left, then the top right and growing larger and larger in size. I strongly believe that search will continue to play an ever-increasing role in creating more joyful and fulfilling online shopping experiences . It’s a means of understanding customers, of creating rich interactions, it enables brands to engage with consumers and delivers more enjoyable and meaningful digital experiences. As more and more consumers are moving online, and with a higher frequency, it’s never been more important for retailers to create memorable online journeys that make people feel unique and special .

We’ll continue to divulge more of the research results and the trends and habits they reveal for both British and Spanish consumers over the coming weeks, stay tuned!!