Clicks, carts & conversions: What today’s online shoppers really want (and how to deliver)
What really drives online shoppers to buy or abandon their carts? We’ve uncovered how you can turn scrolls into sales for different shopper types and demographics across the globe – plus, what’s going to be most important to these shoppers by 2030.
Listen to the AI generated audio overview of some of the key insights from this years report
Disclaimer: This audio was created using Googles NotebookLM by uploading the 2025 press release of the DHL eCommerce E-Commerce Trends Report to the NotebookLM tool. The video was created & subtitles added using Clipchamp. The video above uses a royalty free music track from upbeat.io. Read more about Googles generative AI policy here. Links and information correct as of the upload date 3rd June 2025.
The e-commerce landscape
Discover how shoppers browse, buy and subscribe online – and what’s stopping them from checking out, including:
- The improvement 72% of shoppers want when shopping online (and what really frustrates them).
- What’s inside the world’s digital basket, including the products 64% of shoppers buy online.
- The payment methods dominating the checkout – and the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later.
- What you need to know to reduce cart abandonment.
- Why your business should consider a subscription model.
Social commerce
Social platforms aren’t just influencing shopping – they’re driving it. Dive into key social commerce insights, including:
- The platform turning scrolls into sales for 1 in 2 shoppers.
- What gives 58% of shoppers the confidence to hit ‘buy now’ on social media.
- The social content that drive real purchase decisions.
- The impact of trending products and live-shopping events.
- How social is set to shape e-commerce – and the platform 27% of shoppers plan to buy more from by 2030.
Marketplaces
Marketplaces are the go-to shopping destination for consumers worldwide. With endless choice, different price points for every budget and hassle-free experiences, it’s easy to see why they dominate the online shopping landscape. But shopper behavior isn’t the same everywhere – preferences vary by country, and each market has its own leading platforms. But which ones take the top spot around the world? Uncover the marketplaces capturing consumer attention in each country.
Black Friday
Do shoppers still believe the Black Friday hype – or are they losing trust in retailers’ offers and prices? Sharpen your seasonal sales strategy with key insights, including:
- How many shoppers make a purchase during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
- What motivates 71% of shoppers to spend during this period.
- How trust and buying behavior shift across generations.
Cross-border buying behavior
Where are shoppers buying from, how often and what’s holding them back? Get the insights you need to grow in existing markets and expand into new ones, including:
- The generations, shopper types and countries most likely to buy across borders.
- The winning markets for cross-border sales.
- Why building trust is essential to selling internationally.
- What would encourage 55% of shoppers to buy from abroad more often.
Delivery and returns
Delivery and returns can make or break a sale. Free delivery, flexible returns, real-time tracking – we reveal what’s most important to shoppers, including:
- The real cost of shipping and returns charges at checkout.
- Delivery and returns preferences across global markets.
- The rise of out-of-home – and why your business can’t afford to ignore this.
- Shoppers’ real returns behavior – and how your business can reduce returns rates.
- Why not getting delivery and returns right could lead to 4 in 5 customers abandoning their cart.
Sustainability & the circular economy
How much do shoppers really care about sustainability – and what do they expect from retailers? See what matters most to shoppers, including:
- The sustainability wishlist – including what 53% of shoppers really want to see from retailers.
- The growing importance of sustainability over the next five years – and what 47% of shoppers are willing to do to shop more responsibly.
- The rise of second-life shopping, from pre-owned to refurbished items.
- A growing recycling and resale opportunity that 58% of shoppers are ready to use.
AI: The future of e-commerce?
Which AI features do shoppers actually want – and how will they shape the future of e-commerce? Discover the AI-powered experiences shoppers are asking for, including the one feature 78% of consumers say they want to see more of. Get the insight you need to stay ahead as AI transforms the way people shop online.
All stats and figures are taken from the DHL eCommerce Online Shopper Survey conducted between February and March 2025. Respondents were required to have made at least one purchase online within the three months prior to the survey. 70+ questions were asked to 24,000 respondents across 24 countries (1,000 per country) with an equal split across demographics – where possible. The countries chosen for this survey represent some of the most active e-commerce markets across the globe. Where percentages do not equal 100%, this is due to certain questions having multiple-choice options. Where there is a deviation of percentages over 100%, this is due to rounding of answer options. Not all data from the survey is displayed on this page. Country, regional, generational, and shopper profile data is provided, but this does not reach a level of statistical significance to make definitive statements about specific groups globally. Figures are correct at the time of publishing.
