Amazon, the king of online shopping in Spain: an expanding market

Electronic commerce in Spain continues to consolidate itself as one of the most important distribution channels, and at the head of this phenomenon is Amazon; according to the Elogia 2024 Marketplaces Studythis platform continues to dominate the online shopping market in the country, with a penetration of 88% in annual purchases, both in men (86%) and women (89%). Although other platforms such as Aliexpress or El Corte Inglés follow, Amazon maintains a significant distance, placing itself at the top of mind for 61% of consumers.

As stated Marta Bodas, Market Research Specialist & Senior Marketplaces Analyst de Elogia«Elogia is proud to present the 2024 Marketplaces Study, which provides a deep and detailed vision of consumer behavior in electronic commerce in Spain. This analysis not only identifies key trends and main market players, but also allows us to better understand the factors driving digital transformation in our country. With this, we seek to help brands adapt and evolve within an increasingly competitive and dynamic sector, as well as understand the buyer’s mind to adapt their sales strategies.

The growth of marketplaces: an unstoppable trend with Amazon at the helm

Online commerce is more alive than ever in Spain. Sales in marketplaces will reach 32,920 million euros this yearaccording to STATISTA data, reflecting sustained growth and a digital transformation that shows no signs of slowing down. The market is increasingly fragmented, but Amazon continues to stand out as the main reference in the purchasing decisions of Spanish consumers.

And users are not limited to a single platform. On average, they use 3.2 marketplaces to make their online purchases. Clothing, footwear, books, music, movies and luggage are some of the categories that are growing the mostwith 67% of consumers purchasing clothing and footwear, and 57% opting for luggage in the last 12 months.

Who buys online in Spain? An increasingly balanced profile

The profile of the online consumer in Spain is diverse, but increasingly balanced. According to the report, women (51%) and men (49%) are shopping online in fairly similar ways. With an average age of 46 years, these consumers are, for the most part, actively working people (69%) with university studies (68%) and, surprisingly, with minor children in their care (59%). The majority make their purchases through a computer (77%) or smartphone (75%), demonstrating that mobile connectivity and the ease of use of the platforms are key in the purchasing process.

Regarding the relationship with social networks, there is a clear link between online consumption and social interaction. Instagram (57%) leads as the network most used by buyers, followed by Facebook (55%) and YouTube (41%). However, the surprise comes with TikTok: The popularity of this social network, especially among younger people, is driving purchases on platforms such as Amazon and Aliexpress, with 25% of respondents more likely to buy through these platforms after seeing products on TikTok.

Amazon, the undisputed leader of the marketplaces

If there is something clear in the Elogia study, it is that Amazon continues to be the leader in online commerce. In the last year, 90% of online buyers chose Amazon for its speedvariety of products and the simple shopping experience it offers. Young people and older adults benefit the most from home delivery, while 21% of users choose to collect their orders at collection points.

It is not surprising that 61% of consumers who choose Amazon do not look for the product elsewherewhich reinforces its leadership in the marketplace sector. If they couldn’t buy it on Amazon, the majority of them (66%) would choose to go to a physical store, leaving other online platforms in the background.

The shopping experience: prices, variety and convenience

One of the biggest attractions of Amazon, and of marketplaces in general, are the competitive prices. In fact, 45% of consumers choose these channels primarily for their affordable prices. Other factors that attract buyers are the variety of products and brands (44%), offers and promotions (41%) and free or cheaper shipping costs (39%).

Aliexpress and TEMU also stand out in these aspectsbeing recognized for offering low prices and aggressive promotions. However, Amazon leads in terms of product variety, with 93% of users considering it the best option in this regard. In fact, 7 out of 10 online shoppers on Amazon are Amazon Prime subscribers, a service that continues to gain followers thanks to the additional benefits it offers.

Marketplace consumer loyalty: a value that cannot be ignored

Online consumer behavior shows that once they find what they are looking for, they tend to be quite loyal to their chosen platforms. Buyers tend to return to the same marketplaces, purchasing products from the same categories with an average of 1.4 blocks of products for each purchase.

This pattern is especially reflected in categories such as books, cinema and music (18%), electronics (17%) and beauty and parapharmacy (16%), where Amazon continues to clearly lead.

On the other hand, regarding thepost-purchase experiencethe study highlights consumer satisfaction with return policies. More than half of buyers (59%) have made a successful return, and 84% of them consider the process to be very or fairly easy to carry out. This translates into greater trust and loyalty towards e-commerce platforms.

And the marketplace market in Spain continues to be a jungle of competitors, but Amazon continues to be the king of the jungle. With an optimized shopping experience, competitive prices, an impressive variety of products and customer service that continues to earn the trust of consumers, Amazon maintains its leadership in the Spanish online market. And with the penetration of platforms like TikTok into the shopping space, this phenomenon is only likely to continue to rise.