Global-e Online Ltd., the global leader of direct-to-consumer (D2C) cross border e-Commerce enablement, released the findings of its seminal Cross-Border e-Commerce Shopper Survey- a Dive into Consumer Behavior and Preferences. The survey, commissioned by Global-e, and carried out by Censuswide, was comprised of 9,000 consumers across nine different markets who, in the last year, have made a purchase online from a retailer based outside of their country.

The results demonstrate the tremendous growth of D2C e-commerce, especially for consumers shopping across borders. When asked about their preferred platform to buy branded products, more than half of the respondents (58%) said they would rather buy directly from the brand’s website than the marketplace (40% ) and local retailers (35%). When shopping online, respondents also indicated that the main drivers of cross-border shopping are product prices (47%), more product variety (37%) and better quality (28%). ).

With extroverted shoppers, brands are finding new ways to interact directly with global consumers to capture their attention. Social media has become a popular tool for shoppers to learn about brands, with 75% of respondents saying they have purchased from a brand after interacting with them on at least one social network. . Additionally, Millennials (54%) and Gen Z (55%) consumers say social media is the number one channel for them to discover international brands, surpassing online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Of these channels, Instagram remains the preferred platform for buyers to interact directly with brands and ultimately make a purchase (62%). However, there is no doubt that TikTok is on the rise, with more than half of Gen Z consumers (60%) choosing it as their preferred channel.

Additional key findings in the report include:

• Nearly half of respondents (43%) would shop again directly from an international website they already made a purchase from if the shopping experience was easy and streamlined.
• Respondents are willing to shop cross-border for many different categories, including clothing & accessories (61%), electronics & tech (30%), health & beauty (30%), and jewelry & watches (26%).
• When asked why they would abandon their cart, half of the respondents (50%) cited shipping cost as too expensive, followed by delivery time as too lengthy (42%) and unclear return policy (26%). 25% will not place an order if they are not provided with the final cost of their purchase.
• Over half (53%) of consumers made their most recent cross-border online purchase using a mobile device.

“Supply chain disruptions and rampant inflation brought on by major global events have cemented for retailers and brands the importance of reaching more customers across more geographies through global e-commerce,”

“Selling online to markets worldwide enables brands to establish new revenue streams and minimize their risk, while still accommodating consumers’ constantly evolving spending habits. This survey reinforces that shoppers are increasingly making purchases directly from international brands and are keen to be geographically agnostic. But it’s critical that retailers hear their demands, so they can build sustainable and successful cross-border strategies.”

Nir Debbi, Founder and President of Global-e.