E-commerce sales in France grew at a double-digit rate of nearly 14% in the first quarter of this year thanks to a strong increase in the number of transactions, according to the latest figures from the country's e-commerce association Fevad.
During the first three months of 2015, French online sales increased by 13.7%, compared to Q1 2014, to reach €15.2 billion. This strong growth was boosted by the 18% increase in the number of transactions, with the total number of purchases amounting to 193 million during this period. At the same time, the average spend per purchase continued to fall to reach €79, which is €3 less over one year.
The e-commerce association calculated that about 35 million internet users shopped online during the first quarter of 2015, which means 846,000 more online shoppers in one year. The number of listed French webshops continued to increase dynamically by 14% in one year to currently 164,200.
According to the iCE 40 index, which measures the top 40 e-commerce websites in France, the leading websites increased their combined sales strongly by 12% during the first quarter (with +15% and +16% in February and March respectively). Sales to professionals (B2B) within the iCE 40 index maintained a strong increase of 11%, up from 9% growth during the first quarter of 2014.
Marketplaces continue to play an important role for the activity of certain panel websites, of which the sales are not calculated in the iCE 40. The index measuring sales volumes of the marketplaces (iPM) continued its strong growth with a spectacular 66% increase during the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 2014. The transactions on the market places currently represent 25% of the sales generated by the hosting websites, compared to only 17% during the first quarter of 2014.
Mobile commerce also remains a dynamic growth factor in France. The iCM panel (mobile commerce index), which measures sales from mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, mobile websites and apps), soared by 44% during the first quarter of 2015, compared to the same period last year.
Sales via mobile phones and tablets now represent 18% of revenues generated from the websites which make part of the iCM and 21% if considering total sales via mobile websites, apps and normal websites.
