eCommerce will reach $8 trillion in value by 2026. The figure comes directly from the report “eCommerce in Italy” presented in recent days by Casaleggio Associati. Unstoppable growth, despite the slight downturn after the lockdown boost and despite the inflation that, for the first time, has also affected the world of eCommerce by decreasing the number of sales in absolute terms, but at the same time allowing for an increase in turnover at the end of 2022. By 2023, then, eCommerce globally is estimated to be worth $5 trillion.
But what will be the secret to increasing online sales over the next year? We analyzed for you all the data and trends in the report to give an answer to the question everyone is asking right now. Here’s what we found out.
Italy’s eCommerce
Italian eShoppers
In Italy, online penetration among the population in January 2023 reached 75.1 percent (-1.2 percent year-on-year), with 44 million unique monthly users and a decrease of about one million people compared to last year. However, in Italy 47.1 percent of people aged 16-64 buy something online every week compared to 57.6 percent worldwide. Italy thus ranks seventh (27 percent) among European countries with the highest growth in the number of online purchases between 2021 and 2022, behind Albania (70 percent), Slovakia (44 percent), Cyprus (41 percent), Turkey (35 percent), Latvia (32 percent) and North Macedonia (28 percent).
Geographically, the Northwest is the most connected area with 64.7 percent; followed by the South and Islands with 58.6 percent.
From the demographic point of view, however, it shows that the over-55 group has largely preferred to return to pre-Covid habits, i.e., shopping in the Retail world to the detriment of eCommerce, in contrast to all other demographic groups that have continued to grow online. The time spent online on average per day is also growing, rising from 2 hours and 28 minutes in 2021, to 2 hours and 40 minutes in 2022.
Finally, from the perspective of access devices, in line with what is happening globally, mobile is the tool of choice with 49.6 percent.
Sectors driving eCommerce
The value of eCommerce sales in Italy in 2022 is estimated at 75.89 billion euros, with an annual growth of 18.58 percent, although for the first time in the history of eCommerce, most of the growth is due to price increases (+9.43 percent on average for the online sector).
Estimating the greatest growth is the Leisure segment (+23%), followed by Food and Fashion (+20%) and Health and Beauty (+19%). This is followed by Home-Office and Furniture (+18 percent), Consumer Electronics (+12 percent), Online Shopping Centers (+10 percent), and finally, with more moderate growth, Publishing and Insurance (both +5 percent).
The most interesting trends
Mobile “takes it all”
Among the most interesting trends highlighted by the research is definitely the role played by mobile. In fact, as we already anticipated, mobile accounts for 59.79% of global traffic on average today, while the remaining 38.53% comes from desktops and 2.05% from tablets. In Europe and North America the percentages between desktop and mobile are more or less equivalent, while in Africa (77%) and Asia (70%) mobile has become the main channel for online connections.
All crazy about fashion
Among the world’s most purchased consumer goods online during 2022, the Fashion category is confirmed-now unsurprisingly-on the top step of the podium, followed by Consumer Electronics. What was a particular phenomenon last year, however,” the research says, “is that almost all the major commodity categories of consumer goods purchased online saw a contraction, with the exception of only Food Goods.
The future is social
In 2022, revenue from social media, that is, through social commerce, reached 13%. A trend that will therefore be crucial to keep an eye on for the near future as well. In particular, among the social media considered most effective for eCommerce, Facebook (37%) loses positions in the ranking, surpassed by Instagram (48%) and almost joined by Whatsapp Business (31%). This is followed by YouTube in strong growth (25%), Tiktok (23%), Pinterest (11%), Linkedin (5%), WeChat (4%), Twitch (2%) and Sina Weibo (2%).
Logistics services at the center
There is an additional element that is crucial to consider in analyzing the bigger picture. As the report states, in fact, “The transportation crisis from China has made many players think about moving production closer to Europe, however, Asian manufacturers are already structured to compete directly with manufacturers and retailers that outsource production to them. Thus, 2023 will see the emergence of these giants who will start selling directly to end customers through marketplaces. To defend themselves against these phenomena, Italian retailers will have to strengthen the relationship with the end customer”.
A relationship that, as also stressed several times during the presentation of the report, will depend to a large extent on the services that eCommerce will be able and willing to offer their customers and potential customers.
In this context, logistics services, thus related to shipping, delivery and the possible return of orders placed online, will play an essential role. A role that already several merchants seem to have understood: 18% of online sellers, in fact, indicate transportation and more sustainable and responsible behavior among the strategies to be put in place to increase online sales; 16% indicate instead free shipping and returns; 13% personalized shipping and 11% alternative delivery solutions, including Click&Collect, Locker and Delivery Community Service.
The secret to selling more online
So to answer the question we posed in the opening of this article, the secret to selling more online in 2023 will be to ensure more efficient, flexible, and sustainable delivery and return services for their customers. Logistics, then, will become a full-fledged part of the consumer’s shopping experience, which only ends once the good purchased online arrives in their hands.
If you are an eCommerce manager and want to increase your online store’s sales by integrating tens of thousands of Lockers and Pickup Points already in place throughout the country and internationally that will enable your customers to enjoy a more sustainable and flexible shopping experience, you can contact us here.
