Nielsen study identifies e-commerce products undergoing significant growth

Tuesday, September 30, 2014 - 14:37 by Paul Tissington

A report published last week by Nielsen revealed that a number of products and services have become more popular purchasing options for consumers carrying out safe shopping online in the UK.

Analysts compared the results of the survey, which questioned over 30,000 respondents globally, with a similar study conducted in 2011, revealing that the British buying public remain the biggest advocates of e-commerce.

In 2011 just five per cent of UK consumers were willing to purchase a motor vehicle online, but in 2014 the survey found that this has risen to 17 per cent.

A third of people now regularly shop for e-books online, which is three times as many as did in 2011, according to The Drum.

There has been similarly strong growth elsewhere, with plane ticket sales rising by 43 per cent in the past three years, just behind the 45 per cent growth rate achieved by hotel rooms.

When it comes to the overall approach to safe shopping online, the survey found that people in the UK are close to 40 per cent more likely to use an e-commerce site to make a purchase than their European counterparts.

There are still e-commerce sceptics in the UK, as the report found that 34 per cent of Brits have an issue with the cost of delivery when they order online. Twenty nine per cent also expressed concerns over the security of shopping sites.

Report spokesperson, Mike Watkins, said that retailers needed to do more to reassure consumers that their online outlets are safe to use, while also including free delivery options, so that more growth can occur over the coming years. This will help the UK to stay at the forefront of the global e-commerce market and give consumers the best possible deal.