The State of Mcommerce in France and Germany

With mobile devices increasingly widespread, more consumers in France and Germany will be shopping and buying with their smartphones and tablets in 2018.

Germany is the more-developed market, with a higher share of digital sales attributable to mobile and a greater proportion of internet users shopping via mobile device. But France will post higher growth in retail mcommerce sales this year, at 27.0%. In Germany, we forecast growth will be 14.9%, below Western Europe’s 19.3% average.

Despite the rising popularity of mobile buying, most digital buyers in France and Germany still prefer desktops and laptops for making purchases. In Germany especially, many people are concerned about the perceived risks of mobile transactions.

Click and reserve via mobile, which allows consumers to complete all aspects of a purchase except the final payment, is a big draw in France. Many shoppers use this option to avoid issues with mobile transactions—such as online payment hassles, delivery charges and scheduling problems—and the potential damage of products in transit.

"The convenience and familiarity of mobile shopping will boost mobile buyer numbers over time," said Karin von Abrams, principal analyst at eMarketer and author of the latest report, "Retail Mcommerce in France and Germany: Consumers Gain Confidence as Retailers Improve Mobile Offerings. 

"But retailers are also raising their game, looking to artificial intelligence, augmented reality and voice-activated services to increase mobile engagement and conversion rates. Incorporating digital wallets and other direct-purchase functionality in retail apps will also smooth the journey for consumers who don’t mind transacting via mobile," she added.