E-shoppers mostly buying from abroad

Almost half of internet users in Greece last year also made an online purchase, according to the latest survey by Ecommerce Europe. This rate has grown to 49 percent from 45 percent in 2017.

The data show that Greece’s rate has been constantly rising over the last few years, while also pointing to a considerable margin for further growth. Greece ranks a low 20th among the European Union’s 28 member-states, on a par with Portugal. Britain tops the chart, with 87 percent of UK web users making online purchases last year.

The negative aspect of the Ecommerce Europe survey for the domestic electronic trade sector is that the majority (54 percent) of buyers in Greece opt to make purchases from online stores based in other countries, with 35 percent choosing e-shops in other EU countries and 19 percent buying from third countries. This trend is expected to change with the rise of online stores in Greece and the growth of the alternative options offered to consumers.

Purchases from e-shops outside the country are mainly driven by lower prices, even if one adds the shipping costs, especially in electronics and tech commodities.