France E-commerce - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2024 - 2029)

Key Highlights

• The European e-commerce business has been expanding rapidly, providing exciting potential for online retailers in various industries. France is a key consumer market in Europe and a significant e-commerce market in terms of internet penetration, percentage of e-commerce consumers, and average expenditure.
• According to the Federation of E-commerce and Distance Selling (Fevad), e-commerce sales in France accounted for EUR 159.9 billion (~USD 170.44 billion) in 2023, with an increase of 10.5% compared to 2022, in which e-commerce sales were EUR 144.7 billion (~ USD 154.24 billion).
• According to a survey conducted by Store & Supply in France, B2C online shopping portals represented around 40 % of the total sales in clothing and footwear in 2022, making them the major selling channels. Second place was occupied by D2C sellers, accounting for 31.6% of the market, followed by C2C and private sales, which accounted for an additional 17% and 10%, respectively.
• E-commerce enterprises generally store customers' bank accounts and credit card information. Email addresses, mailing addresses, usernames, and passwords are usually held by e-commerce enterprises, subject them to cybersecurity attacks. Cybercriminals profit from this information by duplicating credit cards and utilizing users' personal information for identity theft and fraud. Hackers may potentially hold sensitive data hostage for ransom.
• The pandemic-induced lockdown and mobility restrictions represented a significant point for e-commerce in France, driving demand to new highs, bringing new shoppers and sellers into digital platforms, and offering players long-term growth. Containment efforts introduced people to the convenience of online buying. They motivated seasoned online buyers to buy more, making the Indian e-commerce business one of the significant beneficiaries of the pandemic.

France Ecommerce Market Trends

Rapid Increase in Mobile Traffic from B2C E-commerce Websites to Drive the Market

• M-commerce has the potential to become a major shopping channel and alter consumer purchasing behavior. Consumers are increasingly more dependent on digital devices than ever before. Acquisitions in this segment further develop a strong market in the forecast period.
• The country has witnessed a dramatic rise in mobile shopping. According to GSMA, Unique mobile subscriber penetration rates within Europe are beyond 90% in most countries, with France reaching 96% as of 2023. E-commerce businesses have realized the significance and need of mobile commerce (m-commerce) with efficient, user-friendly apps.
• During the projected period, the introduction of 5G is expected to be one of the primary factors driving mobile traffic growth from B2C websites in France. Despite the publicity in France about the potential of 5G radiation being harmful to human health and the high cost of installing 5G in mobile telecommunications operators' infrastructure, the higher bandwidth and much faster connection speed that 5G represents can be expected to provide a welcome boost to the development of mobile traffic.
• According to a survey conducted by VIAVISION, as of April 2023, 5G network access was available in 52 cities in France. The significant growth and adoption of the 5G network across the country have helped improve user experience and allow users to spend more time on online shopping platforms.
• Furthermore, most online retailers in the country have websites/apps that are compatible with mobile phones, which is also accelerating e-commerce sales through mobile phones. As such, a mobile phone-compatible application/website is increasingly considered a crucial factor for success in the e-commerce market.

Fashion Segment Holds the Largest Share

• Paris is considered an official fashion capital, alongside Milan, New York, London, and many other emerging cities worldwide. Fashion is a deeply rooted aspect of the country's culture and heritage. French people are significantly price-sensitive. They are regularly drawn in by special offers, discounts, and so on, whether online or in physical establishments. This factor creates several opportunities for companies to expand their business in the country.
• Now that online shopping has become a trend, price remains the prime factor when purchasing a luxury or affordable fashion brand. Third-party online retailers continue to grow, increasing the competition in the marketplace.
• With the rapid growth of the digital sphere in recent years, fashion e-commerce has emerged as a significant contributor to France's economy. According to FEVAD, in France, fashion has been the most popular category of e-commerce as of January 2023 and accounted for almost 56 % of all internet purchasers.
• Fashion e-commerce in France is evolving to serve the needs of the next generation of shoppers. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the adoption of e-commerce for fashion and clothing. With this increase in e-commerce, it has been observed that consumer engagement is a substantial opportunity for business growth.
• With more buyers opting to buy from merchants that match their views, personalization and the act of relevance are emerging trends in the region's e-commerce market. Recently, consumer expectations have evolved, and they want an exact solution for their need. To achieve this, fashion retailers are adopting a data-centric customer approach. Companies are acquiring data, such as buying habits, intent analysis, shopping appetite, frequency of purchase, and many more, to leverage AI to develop a personalized customer experience.

France E-commerce Industry Overview

• March 2024 - Kingfisher launched a home improvement e-commerce marketplace in Castorama, France. The marketplace will introduce over 500,000 new products from verified third-party merchants onto its e-commerce channels. The marketplace allows merchants to raise their profile through association with Castorama’s well-known and trusted brand and benefit from a presence on its high-traffic website.
• April 2023 - Ultra-low-cost e-commerce platform Temu launched its services to European markets, including France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. The Temu.com website shows all these markets on its location drop-down menu.

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