According to a study by British ecommerce retailer OnBuy, 89% of Maltese consumers made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018 – the highest rate of every country analysed. This can be compared to a fewer 62% of Maltese shoppers who made online purchases from rest-of-the-world sellers in 2018.
OnBuy explored data produced by the Ecommercefoundation.org in the 2019 ‘European Ecommerce Report’ and pulled together the countries in Europe most – and least – likely to buy from other EU sellers.
Ecommerce revenues in the EU are growing by 14% each year, with consumers more likely to buy from a company within their own country. Subsequently, inter-country sales across the EU continue to fall behind in-country sales.
However, British ecommerce retailer OnBuy.com has discovered there are some EU countries that are more likely to buy online from other EU sellers; with generous levels of cross-border online sales recorded in 2018.
Other countries with similarly high rates, but not quite so high, include Cyprus (83%), Luxembourg (82%) and Austria (81%.) Just 18% of Austrians made online purchases from rest-of-the-world sellers in 2018, presenting one of the biggest disparities in how consumers in this region shop online.
Over in Western Europe, 64% of Belgians made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018, placing Belgium as the country 6th most likely to buy from other EU sellers. Followed by Ireland (60%), Finland (52%) and Portugal (51%.)
Rounding off the top 10 countries most likely to buy from EU sellers is Denmark and Spain.
In Denmark, almost half (49%) of Scandinavian shoppers made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018. Moving across to Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, 48% of Spanish shoppers made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018.
Comparably, consumers in Greece are buying far less from other EU sellers. In 2018, just over one third (35%) of Greek consumers made online purchases from other EU countries.
Other countries with similarly low rates include the UK (34%), Montenegro (28%) and Germany (24%) Interestingly, in Montenegro, a whopping 77% of Montenegrins made online purchases from rest-of-the-world sellers in 2018, presenting a big disparity in how consumers in this region shop online.
In the Czech Republic, 19% of Czechs made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018, placing the country 6th least likely to buy from other EU sellers. Followed by North Macedonia (18%), Romania (13%) and Poland (12%.)
Rounding off the top 10 countries least likely to buy from EU sellers is Serbia and Turkey. In Serbia, just 8% of Serbian shoppers made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018. Moving further into Eastern Europe, just 7% of Turkish shoppers made online purchases from other EU countries in 2018 – the lowest rate of every country analysed.