15% of shoppers in the United Kingdom buy cross-border every week

In the United Kingdom, consumers are increasingly buying their products from foreign retailers when shopping online. At this moment, more than 33% of the shoppers in the United Kingdom buy cross-border on a regular basis, while 15% makes an online purchase overseas at least once a week. This can be concluded from a survey conducted by Whistl among 2.000 Brittish consumers. The main reason for shoppers to buy cross-border is the price. 55% of the online shoppers say this is the most important reason to turn to a foreign merchant. Reasons not to - or hesitantly - buy on foreign shops are named as well. On top of this list are extended delivery times (28%), lack of brand recognition (21%), import costs (20%) and paying in a foreign currency (11%).

According to the research, it is more likely for men to shop abroad than it is for women. 79% of men said they have shopped abroad last year, compared to 66% of women. Over a third of them buys at least once a month on a foreign webshop. Looking at age, it is most likely younger people who focus on an international e-commerce market (+50% of 25-34 y/o buys cross-border once a month). One in ten does this every day.

The study also shows that 81% of British online business offer overseas delivery options: 37% offer European delivery options and 44% offer worldwide delivery. This means that 19% of British online businesses are missing out on global sales opportunities, as they limit themselves to deliveries only in the United Kingdom.