60% of German online shoppers returned items due to poor quality in the 12 months to October 2024, emphasising the need to set expectations more accurately to reduce the burden of returns. Retailers can reduce returns and boost satisfaction with detailed descriptions, quality visuals, authentic reviews using digital product passports and AI tools for sizing, visualisation, and personalised assistance.
70% of online shoppers say that whether a company offers free returns is key when deciding where to shop. This highlights the need for retailers to offer convenient, low-cost return options. In a digital era, where 93% of Germans shop online, this is no longer a bonus but a customer expectation. Businesses that fail to meet these demands will miss out on key growth opportunities.
Affluent online shoppers are willing to pay more for a premium experience. For example, 36% of online shoppers in larger cities are willing to pay for high-end packaging. eCommerce retailers can capitalise on affluent shoppers’ willingness to pay for premium experiences to differentiate their brand.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Key opportunities around deliveries, pick-ups and returns in German ecommerce
- Analysis of consumer purchasing behaviour and preferences in ecommerce
- Exploration of how online purchases are received and returned
- Consumer attitudes towards the cost of deliveries and returns
- Discussion on the role of subscription services amid economic uncertainties
Consumers prioritise fast, free shipping, hassle-free returns and sustainable practices, with future trends pointing towards increased demand for eco-friendly packaging, innovative delivery solutions, and AI-driven logistics to enhance convenience and sustainability.
Silke Lambers, Principal Analyst – Fashion, Germany
Market Definitions
This Report is designed to give a broad overview of consumer attitudes towards and use of delivery, collection and returns methods resulting from online retail purchases in Germany.
Throughout the Report we talk about delivery, collection and returns, which we define as follows:
- Delivery is defined as an order that is delivered to a customer’s home, work or any other location that they have used as a postal address.
- Collection is used as a broad term to describe the different collection services offered in Germany. Broadly speaking, collection orders can fall into one of three fulfilment methods.
- Click-and-collect in-store: The payment is taken online and the order is made available for collection at a retailer’s store.
- Reserve-and-collect in-store: No payment is made upfront on the website. Instead, the items are reserved to be collected and paid for in a retailer’s own store.
- Click-and-collect at third-party locations: This is where payment is taken online and then products are made available to collect at a location that is not the retailer’s store.
- Return(s) is used to describe any returned goods from an online order. Returns can be placed through postal means, in-store or via a third party.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Enhance returns experiences
- Make returns painless and cost-effective
- Tailor return options to different age groups
- Graph 1: how products have been returned, by generation, 2024
- Minimise return costs through enhanced product descriptions
- Elevate online shopping through packaging
- Balance premium packaging and costs to impress shoppers
- Graph 2: attitudes towards delivery, collection and returns, 2024
- Attract affluent shoppers with premium, custom packaging
- Unlock packaging perks for urban subscribers
- Unlock the full potential of subscription benefits
- Attract high-earning German shoppers with exclusive memberships
- Introduce premium delivery schemes
- Rethink subscription models
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CONSUMER
- Products purchased online
- Fashion is by far the most popular ecommerce category
- Graph 3: products purchased online in the last 12 months, 2024
- The top three categories demand very different delivery and return strategies
- All categories are declining slightly YoY
- Graph 4: top five product categories purchased online in the last 12 months, 2023-24
- Almost every Gen Z shopped online in the last year
- Graph 5: consumers who have made an online purchase in the last 12 months, by generation, 2024
- Higher frequency, smaller baskets
- Graph 6: online fashion shoppers who think that it’s more fun to shop in store than online, 2024
- Gen Zs and Millennials have diverse online shopping habits
- Graph 7: repertoire analysis of types of products purchased online in the last 12 month, by generation, 2024
- Receiving online purchases
- Home delivery is consumers’ favourite way to receive online orders
- Graph 8: ways that consumers have received online purchases in the last 12 months, 2024
- Generational shifts define delivery preferences
- Baby Boomers seek simple deliveries, Millennials embrace flexibility
- Graph 9: repertoire analysis of delivery options used in the last 12 months, by generation, 2024
- Correct misconceptions about the eco-(un)friendliness of ecommerce
- Gen Z and Millennial shoppers crave instant gratification
- Graph 10: consumers who would be encouraged to shop more online by greater availability of quicker delivery options, by generation, 2024
- Knuspr promotes its time-saving service for Christmas
- Tap into Younger Millennials’ demand for convenience and flexibility
- Click-and-collect usage varies by location
- Graph 11: how products have been received – NET, by area, 2024
- Returning online purchases
- Post offices remain the main return point
- Graph 12: how consumers returned online purchases in the last 12 months, 2024
- Return flexibility varies by age
- Graph 13: repertoire analysis of return methods used in the last 12 months, by generation, 2024
- Tailor return strategies to different age groups
- Buy online, return in store
- Consumers with healthy finances have higher return rates
- Graph 14: orders and returns in the past 12 months, by financial situation, 2024
- Boost sales and footfall through in-store returns
- AI as a strategic tool in optimising returns
- Reduce returns and boost satisfaction by harnessing AI insights from product reviews
- Cost sensitivity
- Higher purchase value drives greater willingness to pay for returns
- Graph 15: imagine you are returning an online purchase and there is no free return option, how much would you be willing to pay to return…, 2024
- Design tiered return policies
- Free returns are key for many when deciding where to shop online
- Free returns are more important for fashion and beauty
- Graph 16: products consumers have bought online in the last 12 months, by those who find free returns key vs those who do not, 2024
- Tailor returns policies to meet German shoppers’ expectations
- Retailer subscriptions
- Amazon Prime dominates retail subscription services
- Graph 17: consumer who have a paid-for retailer subscription, 2024
- Subscription services are most popular with young professionals
- Graph 18: paid-for retailer subscription, by age, 2024
- Most online shoppers choose a single retailer delivery subscription
- Graph 19: repertoire analysis of membership of retailer delivery subscription services, 2024
- Attitudes towards delivery, collection and returns
- Consumers demand free returns, eco-friendly deliveries and premium packaging
- Graph 20: attitudes towards delivery, collection and returns, 2024
- Attract wealthier consumers with premium packaging
- Graph 21: agreement with the statement ‘high-quality packaging makes my online purchases feel more premium’, by monthly net household income, 2024
- Capture city shoppers’ hearts with premium packaging
- Graph 22: agreement with the statement ‘I would pay extra for my online purchases to be packaged nicely’, by area, 2024
- Elevate brand loyalty and stand out with custom packaging
- Jewellery and watch buyers are more likely to pay for nice packaging
- Graph 23: consumers who would pay extra for their online purchases to be packaged nicely, by products purchased online, 2024
- Elevate product value with memorable unboxing experiences
- Growing demand for plastic-free packaging
- Sustainable packaging solutions
- Tap into growing consumer demand for sustainable packaging
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RETAILER ACTIVITY & INNOVATION
- Amazon aims to optimise returns
- Fowarding returns: Toern
- Douglas elevates the customer experience with a digital redesign and AI beauty advisor chatbot
- Zalando cuts returns with smart sizing and virtual fitting tech
- Otto embraces AI and robotics for enhanced delivery and customer satisfaction
- dm’s eco-friendly express delivery
- ALDI SÜD tests click and collect
- Deutsche Bahn and Deutsche Post introduce Box
- Deutsche Bahn tackles last-mile logistics with contactless stations
- myflexbox partners with stasher for innovative luggage storage solutions
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- German consumer confidence remains fragile
- Graph 24: consumer confidence, 2019-24
- High number of online shoppers
- Convenience and flexibility
- AI is essential for ecommerce success
- Environmental concerns about packaging and delivery
- Expected brand responsibility
- Graph 25: eco-friendly actions that companies should prioritise the most, 2024
- New packaging regulations in 2024
- The introduction of Digital Product Passports
- Market size
- The steep drop in online sales has halted for now
- Graph 26: online retail sales, € bn, incl VAT, 2019-24
- Slight upward trend in ecommerce in 2024
- Key ecommerce sectors like clothing and everyday essentials have stabilised following previous losses
- Graph 27: online retail turnover, by cluster, € bn, incl VAT, 2023-24
- German courier, express and parcel (CEP) market sees modest growth
- Graph 28: shipment volume in the CEP market, 2013-23
- Market expected to grow to 4.7bn shipments in 2028
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and generations
- Abbreviations
- Generations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
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