Average delivery speed of cross-border purchases 2023

Only one percent of all cross-border online orders around the world arrive on the same day of purchase, according to a survey of global shoppers conducted in September 2023 in 41 countries. Almost half of buyers (a total of 48 percent of respondents) reported receiving their orders from abroad between two and seven days after purchase.

Regional preferences in cross-border shopping

Consumers globally prefer to shop directly from brands when they engage in cross-border e-commerce, although there are regional differences in channel preference. For instance, a 2022 survey revealed that 80% of Chinese consumers prefer to buy products directly from the brand's website when shopping online abroad, in contrast to only 36% of e-shoppers in Japan. The preference for direct-to-consumer (D2C) platforms was also evident in the U.S. and Australia, where 61% of consumers favored this approach.

Product categories

Another significant aspect is the product categories driving cross-border e-commerce. In a 2023 survey, clothing, footwear, and apparel emerged as the most popular category for online cross-border purchases, with nearly 40% of respondents making such purchases. Following closely, consumer electronics and accessories constituted the second most-demanded segment, with 20% of online shoppers surveyed.