Poles' new shopping habits in the light of inflation. DHL report - eCommerce news #no. 31

Who becomes the leader among marketplaces in 2021? How does inflation affect the shopping habits of Poles? Will scientists from The Łukasiewicz Research Network revolutionize the packaging market? You will find the answers to these questions in the latest 31st edition of Press Release. As always, we present a digest of the most important events from the world of eCommerce - read on, stay up to date and develop your business as dynamically as eCommerce develops!

Poles' new e-shopping basket in the light of inflation

According to Flitch's research, inflation will reach about 20% in early 2023. What decisions are online shoppers making in the light of constantly increasing prices? The shopping mood of Poles was examined by DHL in its latest study "Prognozy zakupowe w e-commerce na najbliższe miesiące". What does it reveal?

One thing is certain - the current market situation is not optimistic. Consumers are planning their expenditures more carefully than before, and are deciding to abandon certain categories of goods. Most often, they cancel plans to purchase such products as:

• electronic devices,
• jewelry,
• children's articles and toys,
• sports equipment.

It turns out that Poles tend to exclude from their budgets the purchase of luxury goods and those whose need is secondary. They postpone investments in passions or pleasures. In view of the above, are opportunities for eCommerce development limited?

The answer to this question is no - the Internet is an excellent environment for comparing prices and finding cheaper substitutes and alternatives for basically any type of product. Online shopping is a good solution for those who want to optimize their expenditures. 47% of respondents say they intend to buy less expensive products. They plan to pay special attention to the prices of daily items, such as food (whose online sales continue to grow due to the development of qcommerce), cosmetics, medicines or clothing and footwear. What does this mean for the eCommerce owner? It signals an opportunity for increased sales of this type of assortment, so it is worth highlighting it in your online store.

You can explore the detailed results of the report here. What do you think of the state of eCommerce in the face of today's challenges?

In harmony with the spirit of the future - the e-Pack packaging project

How is the future shaping up in the logistics services market? Is it possible that the packaging used to ship products is not only environmentally friendly, but also meets the needs of an increasingly demanding customer? An attempt to meet the expectations of the modern market was made by The Łukasiewicz Research Network, coming up with an idea for a product called e-Pack. What is its innovation based on?

e-Pack is not a single solution, but an ecosystem of returnable packaging. It consists of high-quality, reusable packaging, as well as returnable packaging devices and software to manage the logistics process. Each package will also be equipped with sensors and a low-current identification system, making it possible to monitor the status of an order at any time.

Researchers from Poznan, Warsaw and Lodz are working intensively on making this vision a reality. The project is dedicated to the eCommerce industry, especially online stores working in the omnichannel model. Among the biggest advantages of the solution are seamless delivery service and reusability. Will the Polish project soon revolutionize the global market and protect eCommerce owners from the carton crisis? We will be watching the evolution of the project closely and will be happy to report any further developments!

You can read more on the Poznań Institute of Technology website. Are you ready to test such a way of order packaging in your eCommerce?

Marketplace leads among online sales - Euromonitor study for Google

99 billion zlotys - that's the amount Poles spent on online shopping in 2021. According to a survey conducted by Euromonitor for Google, almost half - 48% - of the transactions were made through sales platforms. Why has the marketplace become a favorite of Polish consumers? The most frequently mentioned reasons include: fast delivery, a wide selection of products and attractive prices. The leaders among the platforms turned out to be Polish businesses: Allegro and Empik, as well as China's Aliexpress. What else can we find out from the respondents' answers?

• The largest group of marketplace users are Millenials (36%). When it comes to the level of education, those with a high school education prevail (62%).
• The main product categories purchased on sales platforms are clothing (36%) and electronic devices (31%). The items in the first category are most often reached for by women, while men dominate in the second group.
• Customers are more likely to choose domestic platforms - mainly because of the extensive catalog of delivery options, compared to global platforms, as well as the variety of payment methods. Length of experience in the Polish market and trust towards the brand also turn out to be important.

Interestingly, 30% of respondents say they regularly use both marketplaces and traditional online stores. The above figures thus indicate that it is worth planning your business based on multichannel sales. After all, today's customer prioritizes being able to choose and conduct in-depth research before making a final decision to make a transaction.

Take a look at the rest of the report's results and make a decision about your presence in a shopping platform. Or maybe you are already working multichannel?