Consumer data shows increased interest in Olympics, RetailX finds brick-and-mortar stores still dominate

The 2024 Olympic Games drove a 21% increase in retail spending in Paris, according to new data from Visa. Upcoming RetailX France 360° The report highlights that while the French market is still dominated by brick-and-mortar stores, the links between the real world and e-commerce are becoming increasingly greater.

According to Statista, e-commerce accounted for 12.5% ​​of all retail sales in France in 2022. But such percentage breakdowns always tell only part of the story. Sales on the high street, in out-of-town supermarkets, in shopping malls and in neighborhood stores do not exist in a separate retail universe, but are part of an omnichannel ecosystem.

The same is true in France as elsewhere, so it’s hard to say how to classify certain transactions. For example, a click-and-collect purchase might never happen if the retailer doesn’t have a specific store in its area.

Nevertheless, it is intriguing to note how keen French consumers are to go into stores, to the point that 16% of respondents in the ConsumerX survey say they expect to make fewer online purchases compared to in-person purchases (compared to 12% who expect to make more online purchases). In the UK, this trend is reversed, with 8% saying they expect to make fewer physical purchases compared to online purchases, while 19% expect to make more online purchases.

When it comes to where French consumers choose to shop in stores, they are particularly interested in buying food in person, with 64% of respondents saying they regularly buy groceries in stores. The corresponding figure across all countries ConsumerX surveyed globally is 44%. In addition, while cosmetics and beauty subscriptions are popular with French consumers, 34% of respondents said they mainly shop in person, compared to a global figure of 26%.

Reflecting digitally-driven changes in the retail sector, French retailers are increasingly offering omnichannel services. For example, of the top 100 retailers with stores in France, 48% allow customers to return online purchases to stores. Offering this type of service sounds simple but is often logistically difficult. 27% offer collection. It is worth noting that the top 100 retailers in the UK generally do better here, although French retailers outperform their counterparts in Germany, where, for example, 35% offer in-store returns of online purchases.

The final graphic shows what’s happening today in terms of consumer behavior. Twenty percent of French consumers surveyed by ConsumerX say they’ve ordered from a store for delivery between five and 20 times in the past year. And 26 percent say they’ve ordered online for pickup in a store between five and 20 times in the past year. As is typical with these types of questions, there are some intriguing exceptions. Four percent of respondents have ordered online for pickup in a store more than 20 times in the past year, while 5 percent have ordered from a store for delivery more than 20 times in the past year.

This RetailX France 360° The report, which is now available to register for, was discussed at Ecommerce World Review.

The webinar is now available to watch on demand, watch the panel discuss market trends, consumer preferences and emerging innovations shaping the industry. Gain insight into navigating the regulatory framework, optimizing logistics and leveraging digital marketing strategies to succeed in one of the largest e-commerce markets in Europe.

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