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~ DirectLink ~

A CLOSER LOOK

AT E-COMMERCE

IN THE NORDIC

COUNTRIES

Text: Olof Källgren // Photos: DirectLink

Direct Link, as they would say themselves - rule the Nordics, as they are owned by PostNord
the market leader of providing logistic solutions in the Nordic countries. They cover the
humble number of 100% of the Nordic market, providing over 8000 PostNord branded
service points. Every year Direct Link conducts annual studies of the development of
e-commerce in many various markets to be on top of their game. Now let’s have a closer
look on their home turf, the Nordics, to see what their latest study has shown on Sweden,
Denmark, Norway and Finland!

he Nordic countries were out early when it • Sweden
came to building internet infrastructure, With 10 million inhabitants, it’s the largest country in the
Teven in thinly populated areas. So when region and obviously also the largest market. Sweden´s
online access became possible for almost everyone e-commerce market is one of the most developed in
and e-commerce gradually developed, the Europe. Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic,
conditions and the willingness for online shopping e-commerce accounted for 11% of the total retail market. By
were already there. the end of 2020, this figure was 15%. A characteristic feature
Nordic consumers have thus been relatively mature in their of Swedish consumers is their high propensity to try new
behaviour when it comes to e-commerce for quite some time. technological solutions. The pandemic certainly accelerated
But rest assured, development has been amazing here too. the process of e-commerce taking larger and larger market
If, for example, we look at the proportion of residents in the shares. Most e-retailers in Sweden feel that the coronavirus
Nordic countries who shopped online once a quarter in 2015, pandemic has been positive for their sales. Only 9% state it
it was 23%. In 2021, the proportion who shopped online has been very negative.
three times a month was 24%.
The product categories that Swedes prefer to buy from
Online Nordic consumers have a lot in common when it online
comes to shopping behaviour and preferences. However, Back in 2013, books was the category that was number one to
e-tailers wishing to establish operations in the Nordic region buy from online in Sweden, followed by clothing & footwear
should beware of treating the four countries as one single and home electronics. Nine years later, in 2021, clothing &
market. There are significant differences in some respects. footwear and home electronics maintained their positions as
number two and three. The number one product category was
Therefore, it’s best to take a look at the four different markets pharmacy products. And, of course, the pandemic has led to
one by one: some changes in which products were purchased online.

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