The US and Europe are two of the largest markets in the world. But they are not identical. Differences in culture, language and legislation make it difficult to compare these two markets.<\/p>\n
In August 2022, Rithum surveyed 1,000 shoppers in the US and 3,000 shoppers across the three biggest European e-commerce markets: the UK, Germany and France. We asked the same questions every time, so now it\u2019s time to take a closer look at the responses and examine what they reveal, especially to those with a global e-commerce presence.<\/span><\/p>\n By the end of this article, you\u2019ll see clearly what differentiates shoppers in Europe and the US. And you\u2019ll gain tips to adjust your sales and marketing strategy, including identifying new customers, understanding what makes them tick and maximising customer acquisition and satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n Europeans and Americans have different preferences when it comes to buying things online. The two regions also have different shopping habits and cultures. Those different preferences can make or break your business. <\/span>Different e-commerce categories of products do not have the same popularity in the US compared to Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n We asked our respondents about which types of products they had purchased online in the last 12 months, and we found a few notable differences.<\/span><\/p>\n Inflation has been an issue of late, but it\u2019s not just about price increases: it also affects how consumers spend their money. Rising inflation costs across most of Europe has led to consumers being slightly more cautious with their purchases.<\/span><\/p>\n However, when asked how their online spending compares to 12 months ago, 37.7% of US respondents said they were spending more, compared to just 28.6% of Europeans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For the upcoming festive season, 32.4% of US respondents said that in light of inflation, they planned to do more of their spending online than they did in 2021, but just 23.0% of Europeans said the same.<\/span><\/p>\n Whilst many European consumers are looking to tighten the reins on spending during this period, many US consumers are spending more.<\/p>\n Brands are important e-commerce players, and they have growing importance with the increasing popularity of direct-to-consumer channels. Here are some key differences between US and European shoppers that brands should consider when planning their international e-commerce strategies:<\/span><\/p>\n1. Popularity of e-commerce categories can vary widely<\/span><\/h2>\n
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2. Inflation is hurting European e-commerce spending more<\/span><\/h2>\n
3. British and French shoppers are more loyal to brands<\/span><\/h2>\n
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4. When it comes to pricing, cultural differences matter<\/span><\/h2>\n