Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
E-commerce in Spain – statistics & facts
With a market penetration of over 40 percent, the Spanish digital market is a motor that keeps the economy of the European country going, allowing millions of users to sell and buy products in an innovative way. While many Spaniards favor the endless possibilities that e-commerce offers, some miss certain traits of the offline experience.
Despite being relatively novel, e-commerce is a market where players and behaviors evolve every day, and where more changes are expected in the near future to provide a better experience and accommodate more buyers.
Trade-offs of going online
Many Spanish consumers opt for shopping online rather than in-store, doing it mainly via desktop computers, with smartphones following closely behind as the most used devices for online purchases in the Iberian country. The convenience and affordability of e-commerce have led more and more Spanish consumers to satisfy their shopping desires online. Above all factors, convenience plays a pivotal role in the decision-making process for online purchases. The primary driving force to buy online rather than in physical stores in Spain in 2024 was comfort, followed by better prices and discounts. However, for some consumers, e-commerce has yet to replace certain aspects of the in-person experience. As per a 2024 survey assessing attitudes towards online purchasing in Spain, close to a quarter of respondents wanted to see and touch an item before buying it. Meanwhile, about 16 percent expressed enthusiasm for integrating augmented and virtual reality technologies in their online shopping ventures.An increasingly interactive experience
Because the e-commerce landscape and consumer preferences are constantly changing, there is always room for new market trends to emerge. A prime example is the increased use of social networks for online sales and purchases. Recognizing the latent potential embedded within these platforms, by 2024, more than half of e-commerce professionals in Spain had harnessed the power of Facebook for commercial purposes, while 49 percent of merchants had utilized Instagram to further their business goals. Additionally, more than a quarter of e-commerce professionals have readily employed WhatsApp and Telegram as part of their e-commerce strategy.Despite being relatively novel, e-commerce is a market where players and behaviors evolve every day, and where more changes are expected in the near future to provide a better experience and accommodate more buyers.
