Top delivery criteria for online shoppers in France 2023

Sustainability concerns did not make it to the list of most important criteria for online shoppers in France. Approximately 20 percent of surveyed respondents cited the importance of little packaging waste, and only 11 percent went for carbon-neutral shipping. In contrast, criteria like free shipping and free returns garnered 67 percent and 53 percent of responses, respectively.

Sustainable e-commerce in times of stagflation

As of the first quarter of 2023, a survey revealed that only 26 percent of consumers in France were considering the environmental impact of delivery options when shopping online. That figure stood at 29 percent and 23 percent for neighboring Italy and Germany, respectively. Indeed, the cost-of-living crisis entailed difficult choices for shoppers who would rather make economies on their online orders than bear the extra cost of sustainable delivery.

The end of free returns?

As inflation hit global markets, rising transportation costs meant that many retailers had to reconsider offering free e-commerce product returns. Even consumers adjusted their expectations in response to rising prices. A survey conducted in 2022 revealed that approximately 56 percent of French e-shoppers expected e-commerce delivery fees to increase in 2023, while that figure was at 75 percent for Italian e-shoppers. However, when asked about their willingness to pay for e-commerce product returns, online shoppers did not show much enthusiasm. Only 23 percent of French shoppers said they were willing to pay for their online product returns, versus 61 percent of shoppers that continued to expect retailers to bear the cost of e-commerce returns.