E-commerce in Baltics 2023: motivation, purchases and obstacles
In the e-commerce study conducted in the Baltics by Gemius, it was found that the motivation for respondents in all three countries to shop online is better prices compared to traditional stores. While Latvians and Estonians often purchase insurance on domestic websites, Lithuanians prefer to order meals. The most common challenges mentioned are issues with delivery and misleading product information, leading to disappointment with the received goods.
In the latest Gemius e-commerce study, surveying internet users in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, it has been revealed that respondents in all three countries are motivated to shop online due to better prices compared to traditional stores. While survey participants in Latvia and Estonia are also motivated by the fact that online stores are always open, Lithuanians choose to shop online because they can have their purchases delivered to their homes. Among the three most frequently mentioned motivating factors, respondents in Latvia indicated that it is easier to compare products and services online, while Lithuanians are driven by discounts and special promotions, and participants in Estonia are motivated by the opportunity to purchase goods that are not available in their place of living.
When looking at the most frequently purchased products and services on domestic e-commerce platforms, two product categories rank in the top three across all Baltic countries: clothing, footwear, and accessories, as well as tickets to entertainment and cultural events. While Latvians and Estonians often purchase insurance on Latvian and Estonian commerce websites, Lithuanians more frequently order meals with delivery. Meanwhile, when it comes to products commonly purchased on foreign e-commerce platforms, the top three in all Baltic countries remain stable – respondents most frequently indicate that they have purchased clothing and accessories, used reservation services, and bought plane tickets or tickets for other modes of transportation.
In terms of most frequently used foreign websites for online shopping, survey participants from Estonia and Lithuania ranked amazon.com in the first position, while Latvians most commonly shopped on aliexpress.com, with these two websites swapping positions in the top rankings for the Baltic countries. In the third and fourth positions, respondents from all three countries have ranked ebay.com and asos.com. However, while AboutYou is among the top five in Latvia and Lithuania, Estonians more frequently choose to shop on BestSecret.
Among the obstacles frequently encountered by internet users when shopping online, respondents from Lithuania most commonly mention problems related to product delivery, such as long or expensive delivery. In addition to delivery issues, respondents from all three countries also mention receiving a product or service that does not meet their expectations. Furthermore, when asked to identify difficulties in online shopping, excluding delivery problems, participants from Latvia and Estonia have indicated a lack of information about the product or service. Estonians also mention misleading information about the product as one of the common problems. Latvian shoppers often encounter the issue of the shopping cart not reaching the minimum order amount.
It should be mentioned that when it comes to payment methods, both Latvians and Lithuanians, as well as Estonians, most commonly choose to enter card details, pay by invoice, or use online payment and money transfer systems.
The Gemius e-commerce study was conducted using the gemiusAdHoc online survey. The study is based on data obtained through a pop-up internet questionnaire shown to randomly selected internet users on the most popular portals in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. In Latvia, the study surveyed 2,038 respondents aged 18 to 74, while in Lithuania, 2,556 respondents aged 15 to 74 were surveyed. In Estonia, the study involved 1,433 internet users aged 18 to 74.
To learn more about the research conducted in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, please contact Gemius Eesti at kontakt@gemius.ee.
gemiusAdHoc conducts studies for individual business needs with the ability to determine public opinion on any topic, question, or industry.
Gemius is an international research and technology company providing data, as well as advanced tools for digital and traditional marketing activities such as web analytics, online campaigns’ management and ad serving. The company offers comprehensive solutions for marketers, advertising agencies, publishers and e-commerce. Gemius is present on the market since 1999. The company is a member of IAB Europe and I-COM Global. The research conducted by the company are carried out in accordance with the principles of the international ICC/ESOMAR code.
