Dalenys has released the results of its new study, ‘The French and e-commerce’, conducted with OpinionWay on 18 and 19 August*.
After conducting a study last November entitled ‘Digitalisation of commerce: expectations of the French in 2021’, Dalenys continues to analyse and understand the relationship of the French with e-commerce and innovative payment methods.
Although e-commerce became firmly established among French shopping habits from last year with the rise of COVID-19, one can say now that it has reached a certain maturity. Consumers look favourably on stricter security measures for online payments and are receptive to new digital payment methods.
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I – E-commerce is embraced as an integral part of the purchasing process.
A vast majority of French people feels completely comfortable with e-commerce: three-fourths visit e-commerce sites regularly to research or make a purchase.
- 38% shop online exclusively (research and purchases)
- 36% do their research online and visit brick-and-mortar stores to make the purchase
- Only 18% still seek out the ‘traditional’ customer experience by both researching and purchasing in-store.
Three out of every four French perceive most sectors as advanced in the process of digitalising their services (from 7 to 24 points higher than in 2020).
- The ‘household appliances, Hi-Fi, and computers’ remains at the head with little change from November 2020 (83% today and 82% in 2020).
- Tourism, left out of the survey in 2020, was ranked by respondents as the 2nd most advanced sector in terms of the use of digital services (81%).
- The decoration (71%) and catering (70%) sectors were perceived as slightly less advanced, but have seen the biggest changes (16 and 24 points respectively).
Online payments are now the new norm, and the French have embrace them wholeheartedly, with high expectations in terms of payment innovation AND security. E-commerce players must bet big to respond to these customer demands for a secure, fluid shopping experience’.
Ludovic Houri
CEO Dalenys
II - Payment security is key to avoiding abandoned shopping carts
Online payment is never frictionless: one in two consumers has already abandoned a digital purchase at checkout (51%).
- Respondents gave security as the main reason: 88% said they had abandoned an online purchase at the checkout stage.
- The second reason most cited (81%) is more technical and concerns a slowdown in the process.
- The next two reasons concern nearly two-thirds of respondents who have abandoned an online purchase: too-strict security measures (61%) and a payment page that is not mobile-friendly (58%).
III – Authentication: consumers’ thoughts after the implementation of PSD2
The authentication part of the 2nd European Payment Services Directive (PSD2) has entered into force last May in France. It made strong customer authentication mandatory for all online payments over €30. The new security standard has thus disrupted online payments for consumers by adds another step to their shopping journey.
The French are overwhelmingly in favour of stricter identification requirements for online payments (87%).
- Most French (88%) also believe strong customer authentication is above all an effective to guarantee online transaction security.
- For two-thirds of consumers (i.e., 67%), this enhanced payment security system means they are confident enough to try new payment channels such as social networks.
However, the additional step at the time of payment can be a barrier to purchase for 38% of consumers.
- The young in particular are more reluctant to embrace enhanced security in online payments: 55% of people under 35 see it as a barrier to online shopping, compared to 33% of older people.
- While young people value a smooth experience, older people value security.
IV – The French are open to innovative payment methods
*The interviews were carried out on 18 and 19 August on a sample of 1006 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over, according to the quota method.
