Why are Polish consumers hesitant about buying from foreign e-shops? eCommerce news no.67

To successfully operate in eCommerce, it's worth carefully following industry news. Between the lines, you'll always find valuable information that will help you better understand your customers' purchasing decisions. Additionally, such news provides inspiration and practical knowledge necessary for survival in a dynamic environment. But how do you start tracking industry news to not miss anything important? A good start will be reading Advox's Press Release, where every two weeks we regularly present a summary of the most important news in the world of e-trade. Check out what you'll read in the 67th edition.

Is there space in Poles' budgets for online shopping?

Among many factors shaping purchasing decisions, finances remain one of the key elements. Every year, Santander Bank conducts research on changes in household budgets, attitudes towards finances and Polish shopping habits. This year's results are described in a report titled "Polaków Portfel Własny: czas oszczędzania". What does it reveal?

Despite a decreasing inflation rate, many issues (such as rising energy prices and tense geopolitical situation) contribute to Poles still feeling some financial unease. Over 70% of respondents assessed their situation as worse or significantly worse compared to 2022. As a result, many Poles are looking for ways to improve their household budgets, taking various actions such as seeking additional work, changing to better-paying positions, cutting some expenses, or looking for promotions and products at lower prices.

It's not surprising that the consumption habits of Poles are also changing. They increasingly opt for attractive offers available online. According to the report:

• 88% of Poles make online purchases,
• the most popular category of products ordered online is clothing and footwear (59%),
• preferences for product choices vary significantly between genders. Men more often opt for electronics and audiovisual and household appliances,
• despite the dynamic development of the e-grocery industry, most Poles still value traditional grocery shopping.

What do you think will change in Poles' approach to finances this year? You can find the full report here.

Why do consumers still fear online shopping in foreign stores?

The trend of cross-border commerce, i.e., shopping in foreign online stores, has been prevalent in the industry for some time now. Despite global interest in this form of trade, Poles still remain cautious about such transactions. According to UCE Research, as many as 65% of them declared that they do not use the offerings of foreign online stores at all. What are the main reasons for these fears?

Most Poles are concerned about:

• issues with potential product returns,
• language barrier in the purchasing process,
• extended waiting time for delivery,
• risk of purchasing counterfeit goods.

These feelings should be seen as more transitional - as one of the stages characteristic of the development of foreign trade. Therefore, it can be expected that these concerns will gradually diminish. For comparison, in 2020, 30% of Poles declared using offerings from foreign online stores. Although individuals with higher education, higher income, and those living in cities still constitute the largest group ordering from abroad, increasing awareness and improvements in the logistics market certainly contribute to growing interest.

You can read more about the development of cross-border commerce here. What do you think about the evolution of this eCommerce branch?

Digital Services Act - How will it impact eCommerce?

In mid-February 2024, new regulations of the EU directive, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), came into force. The aim of these provisions is to ensure greater online security and transparency and to eliminate misinformation, which is increasingly appearing among shared content, for example, in the form of fake news or reviews. Who exactly does this law concern and what obligations does it entail?

The new directive concerns intermediaries, i.e., those who enable the sharing of information to users upon their request. This information can take various forms, such as comments, posts, or entries.

Online platforms operating in this way must now fulfill a number of obligations, including ensuring the proper updating of regulations or providing the possibility of direct contact with the platform owner electronically.

Does the DSA regulation also apply to you as the owner of an online store?

Yes, but only if you allow your customers to publish content on your platform, for example, in the form of product reviews (which is currently an industry standard) or comments under the company's blog. However, this does not mean that every piece of information left by a customer automatically falls under the DSA provisions. For example, data necessary for contact or to place an order will not be considered in the context of the directive. DSA requirements only apply to information that meets three criteria: it is independently left by the user, stored on the platform, and - importantly - its submission is at the user's request (it must be additional information, not necessary for achieving the platform's goals, such as placing an order).

However, the over 100-page act leaves a number of exceptions, exclusions, and definitions that may differ from the common understanding of words (for example, the term "hosting provider" has a slightly different definition in the directive). For more details related to the DSA in your online store, check here.