This post was originally published on this site.
A new nationwide survey shows that eight out of ten Greek consumers buy products from e-commerce platforms outside the European Union.
The survey was conducted by NielsenIQ on behalf of the Greek Retail Business Association (SELPE) on the use of e-commerce platforms based in Asia.
The survey records for the first time the scope of penetration, motivations, habits, and perceptions regarding the purchase of products from platforms outside the European Union.
Main survey findings: Price importance
The results show that there is an extremely high penetration of Asian platforms in the Greek market as 94 percent of participants made online purchases in the last 12 months.
Of these, 85 percent of Greek consumers have purchased from at least one platform based in a country outside the EU.
This percentage corresponds to approximately 8 in 10 Greek consumers in total. The most recognizable platforms are Temu and Shein, with very high levels of awareness. There is strong and repeated use in these platforms. Approximately 3 in 10 users of each platform make purchases at least once a month.
The survey shows that the majority of items bought by Greek consumers from Asian e-commerce are business fashion and clothing, homeware and small items, and electronics and gadgets, in this order.
The dominant motivation to buy from these e-commerce retailers is low prices. It is the dominant motivation for online purchases, by a large margin compared to any other criterion. Also, users of Asian platforms spend more time online overall than non-buyers.
The average annual expenditure directed to marketplaces outside the EU is amounts to €244 per person and corresponds to 45 percent of the total online expenditure of these users.
Customer trust and satisfaction
While 8 out of 10 are regular buyers from Temu and Shein platforms, 4 out of 10 users declare high satisfaction with their purchases. The low prices are a good incentive, but consumer trust is only moderate, with strong reluctance. Non-users declare that they have very low trust overall.
When it comes to quality, safety, and European standards, 6 out of 10 Greek consumers consider European quality and safety standards “very important”. At the same time, 7 out of 10 users of marketplaces based in countries outside the EU are aware that they may not comply with European standards.
Despite this knowledge, low price still prevails as a purchase incentive. However, consumers react to possible regulatory interventions. In the event of price increases due to tariffs, almost 40 percent of users state that they would stop purchasing from these platforms.
Correspondingly, about 1 in 3 Greek consumers appear positive about the application of a special fee per order, mainly those who do not already buy from these platforms.
Consumers correctly recognize that Temu and Shein come from Asia, while recognition is lower for Trendyol and Aliexpress, which also come from Asian. The survey shows that the country of origin influences buyers a little, but non-buyers a lot.
Consumer awareness and research before the purchase
About 1 in 2 users search for information about platforms before buying. Non-buyers search significantly more for information. Key sources they use are Google, reviews, sellers’ websites, and online communities.
Despite the high use of these platforms, consumers maintain serious concerns about quality, transaction security, and personal data protection.
Compliance with European standards is a critical issue for the sustainability of e-commerce, while possible regulatory interventions seem to be able to substantially change consumer behavior.
E-commerce outside EU is not regulated
According to Costas Gerardos, President of SELPE, “The research findings record in quantitative terms what we are already experiencing in retail as a structural distortion: a parallel trade, where low prices are achieved through the absence of rules.
“European and Greek retail businesses operate in an environment of high taxation, strict control, and full compliance with the European regulatory framework. However, markets outside the EU essentially operate without equivalent obligations and without corresponding responsibility for the products they sell on the European market.”
Mr. Gerardos further said that research also shows that targeted regulatory interventions can have a significant impact on Greek consumer behavior, confirming that there is scope for policy action at European level.
“We call for a level playing field: effective controls, tax and customs parity and ensuring that every product entering the European market meets the same quality and safety standards.
Consumer protection and the sustainability of European retail cannot be addressed in isolation, they require a single, coherent and effective European framework,” he said.