Over half of online shoppers (55 per cent) around the world reveal that they are open to the idea of buying gifts for Christmas, New Year, and other holidays from other countries, a new survey finds. However, nearly half of those questioned (48 per cent) are concerned that cross-border gift purchases will not arrive in time.
The research, commissioned by Logistyx Technologies, asked 2,035 online shoppers in the UK, Australia, Germany, and the USA about their attitudes to purchasing gifts for Christmas, New Year, and other holidays from other countries. It also examined which shipping-related factors would make them more confident to purchase gifts from abroad.
The survey highlights that price, the uniqueness of a product and seasonal promotions all play a role in why online shoppers would consider ordering gifts from abroad. 71 per cent of respondents agree or strongly agree that the price of a product would be a factor that would have an impact on whether they buy Christmas gifts from a company based in another country. 69 per cent said the same for the uniqueness of the product and 60 per cent pointed to holiday sales and promotions offered by the eCommerce site.
However, there are some clear messages about the shipping and delivery related factors that influence cross-border gift buying. Among the key considerations is the ability to easily track the order online, with 69 per cent of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing this would have an impact on their gift purchasing decision (see table below).
69 per cent also agree or strongly agree that the estimated delivery time would be a factor in a cross-border gift purchase and the same percentage (69 per cent) highlighted simply having an easy returns process would impact their decision.
Being clear and up front about delivery costs and any additional taxes or duties that are payable also has a strong influence, something that particularly impacts purchases to and from the UK and the EU after Brexit but is applicable worldwide. 66 per cent of the sample either agree or strongly agree that delivery charges would impact their decision to purchase a Christmas gift from a company based abroad and 61% said the same about additional duties or taxes on cross-border gift purchases
What influences online shoppers’ cross-border festive purchases?
| To what extent do you agree or disagree that these factors would impact your decision to make a Christmas/ festive holiday gift purchase from a company in another country? | Agree/Strongly Agree |
| Ability to easily track the order online | 69 per cent |
| Easy returns processes | 69 per cent |
| Estimated delivery time | 69 per cent |
| Delivery charges | 66 per cent |
| Additional duties or taxes on cross border purchases | 61 per cent |
“With online purchasing increasing exponentially since the start of the pandemic last year, we have seen an increased willingness among shoppers to buy from other countries. However, for retailers and direct-to-consumer companies to realise the true potential of overseas gift sales during the festive shopping season, there are some clear issues to address. Ensuring they have reliable online tracking of shipments, dependable estimated delivery times, clear policies on returns as well as transparency regarding delivery costs and potential additional charges can all help to open up the potential to grow sales from other parts of the world during peak,” said Geoffrey Finlay, CEO, Logistyx Technologies.
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