An increasing number of French online shoppers plan to do this year’s winter sales shopping overthe internet, according to an exclusive survey by Fevad, the French distance-selling association.
Conducted in cooperation with the French market research institute CSA, the survey revealedthat more than 7 out of 10 French internet users decided to do their shopping online for the wintersales season which takes place across France from 9 January until 12 February 2013. It shows thatmore French consumers aim to look for winter bargains via their computers, smartphones or tabletsthan last year.
According to Fevad’s study, 72 per cent of the French online shoppers intend to use theinternet to profit from this year’s winter sales compared to 66 per cent during the previous year.More women than men will turn to the internet (62 per cent versus 53 per cent) while young peopleaged 18-24 will also be looking for good deals as 67 per cent of them plan to profit from onlinewinter sales.
Most of the online shoppers (69 per cent) plan to do winter sales shopping sitting in frontof their PCs. But winter sale purchases via smartphones continue to develop with 28 per cent of theusers against 21 per cent last year. There will be strong growth in mobile sales, with 21 per centplanning to use a tablet (versus 13 per cent in 2012), especially 35-49 year-olds.
Parisians are leading the way in mobile shopping. In the Paris region, 41 per cent ofinternet users who plan to do their winter sales shopping online intend to use their smartphonesand 30 per cent their tablets.
For 64 per cent, the winter sales budget allocated for internet purchases will be the same aslast year while 26 per cent will spend less and 10 per cent will spend more. On average, web usersintend to spend €198 on their online winter sales shopping which is €10 more than in 2012.
Clothing is expected to be the top-selling product category with 89 per cent which is 13percentage points higher than during the previous year. Men’s clothes are in higher demand with 47per cent versus 36 per cent last year, followed by electric and household appliances (30 per cent)and decorative furniture (12 per cent).
Fevad and CSA have been measuring the intentions of the French consumers to do their wintersales shopping online since 2003. The survey was conducted online from 26 December 2012 until 2January 2013 based on a representative sample of 1,005 French internet shoppers aged 18-75.
