Only a fraction of online retailers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland offer free delivery for online orders. The most important group of sellers charges shoppers a mean of between 2 and 5 euros for shipping.
That is in accordance with recent research on shipping and return management by the German retail institute EHI. Out of the 81 established online retailers examined within the DACH region, only 4 don’t charge shipping fees.
Shipping costs
For 3 retailers , shipping costs average below 2 euros, the biggest group of sellers (47, or 58 percent of the overall) charge a mean of between 2 and 5 euros, 38 providers (47 percent) charge a mean of between 5 and 10 euros. A handful of shops charge shoppers greater than 10 euros for shipping.
A handful of shops charge shoppers greater than 10 euros for shipping.
So, free shipping is much from the norm; it’s an exception within the DACH region. The identical study by EHI also highlighted that avoiding returns is a big focus for online retailers within the three countries mentioned.
Headwinds
In a statement, EHI relates its research results to the present headwinds for online retailers. In keeping with the institute, they have to “examine their processes and value structures and optimize them if mandatory”. In any case, “after long periods of growth for online retail, the present forecasts are removed from optimistic”.
‘Forecasts for online retailers are removed from optimistic.’
Online product spending in Germany experienced a double-digit decline for the primary time last yr, recently reported by the Bundesverband E-Commerce und Versandhandel Deutschland.
Delivery fee focus
Meanwhile, consumers are also watching their spending, as evidenced by this week’s published Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2024, based on extensive research into eight major online markets, including Germany and 4 other European countries. Consumers prioritize delivery fees over speed, convenience, tracking, and sustainability, in accordance with the Auctane study.
