What are the Portuguese purchasing online?

  • ECO News
  • 20 October 2016

Compared to other European consumers, the Portuguese are the ones who make fewer online purchases, using the internet mainly to do research on products.

Portuguese consumers are not big fans of online commerce: only 49% internauts shop using the internet, which is a lower percentage than the European trend.

According to a survey by ‘Cetelem Observer‘, the Portuguese use the internet when purchasing Travels (44% of consumers) and Leisure (25%), a category that includes the purchase of books and show tickets. The purchase of household appliances and electronic goods is the last category on the list.

The Portuguese justify their lack of online purchases with the fact that they like to see and touch the products they want to buy. The people surveyed also said, concerning appliances, they value the suggestions made by salespeople.

But still, the Portuguese are ahead when it comes to supermarket purchases: Portuguese aged less than 50 years old, contrary to the European trend, like to do their grocery purchases online and have them delivered at their houses.

The survey also concluded that senior buyers (more than 50 years old) are suspicious of online shopping because of the payment methods – however, 72% of them declare they use the internet to learn more about the products they are thinking of acquiring (69% compare prices and 44% consult comments other users made).

More than ten thousand European citizens – from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, United Kingdom, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania – were surveyed online on the 2nd November last year for this purpose.