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Reports

Why are online shoppers buying from other countries (and how can you sell to them)?

Interested in expanding into new markets? Discover the shopping habits of people who buy from abroad – from what they purchase and where from to why they do (or don’t) buy from abroad.

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Read the Cross-Border Buying Report

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We’ve surveyed 12,000 shoppers across 24 countries to provide you with valuable insight into the crossborder online retail market.

In this report, we explore how often shoppers are buying from abroad, whether they are satisfied with the international delivery experience, and what your business can do to reassure shoppers who don’t feel confident buying from other countries.

Do you offer your customers simple, free returns and secure payment options? We uncover why you should if you want to successfully sell across borders.


Podcast

Listen to the AI generated audio overview of our Cross-Border Buying Report.

Disclaimer: This audio was created using Googles NotebookLM by uploading our 2024 DHL eCommerce Cross-Border Buying 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: 22/10/2024.


Did you know?

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55%

of global shoppers buy from retailers in other countries.

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4 in 5

social media shoppers buy from abroad at least once a month.

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48%

say free returns would encourage them to buy from other countries.


Discover valuable insights that can help you meet customer expectations

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Are businesses selling the products that over 1 in 2 cross-border shoppers want?

There are active shoppers abroad waiting to buy a range of products from retailers in other countries but which products do 57% of shoppers say they buy from retailers in other countries the most? And, are social media purchasers buying more from abroad compared with the average cross-border shopper?

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A spotlight on European buying behavior

Online shoppers in this region frequently buy from their neighbors, but which countries are they buying from most often? And, in which country are 95% of respondents buying from abroad? Discover the cross-border habits of European shoppers (and what businesses can do to sell to this region).

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Why are people buying from abroad? Or, why are they not buying from retailers in other countries? 

Did you know that 53% of shoppers buy from other countries to get lower prices? But what do 49% of shoppers say is their biggest barrier to buying from abroad? We uncover all the reasons why people do and don’t buy from overseas retailers to help businesses better understand the cross-border market.   


Discover our entire series of 2024 reports

To help you understand what consumers want from online retailers, we’ve created a series of reports. Each report provides you with valuable insights into how shoppers across the globe browse and buy online – and what matters most to them when they do.

2024 e-commerce trends report

2024 Beyond The Basket Report

What’s really influencing the buying decisions of social, sustainable and cross-border shoppers across the globe?

2024 e-commerce trends report

2024 E-Commerce Trends Report

Discover what’s important to online shoppers and why they really abandon their baskets.

Purchasing and Behaviour Report Logo

2024 Purchasing Behavior Report

We reveal what’s driving shoppers to spend and subscribe online and what they buy most often.

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2024 Delivery and Returns Report

Find out the secrets to creating a seamless delivery and returns experience.

Country reports

2024 Country Guides

We also bring you detailed and in-depth insight into specific markets. If you’re interest in expanding into new markets, or want to know more about your current market then read our series of 2024 Country Reports to help you sell to new customers across the globe.