The eCommerce market in Spain has grown rapidly in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this trend. With more and more people shopping online, delivery has become a key factor in customer satisfaction.
Whether you’re already operating in Spain or thinking of dipping your toe into the market, it’s essential you understand the delivery preferences of the average consumer
In this article, we discuss the different Spanish delivery options at your disposal, which options Spanish consumers favour, and how you should best approach the market.
An Overview of the Spanish eCommerce Market
The eCommerce market in Spain has been experiencing steady growth over the past few years, with more and more consumers opting to shop online. Lockdown saw a surge in Spanish online shopping. The number of people making purchases online rose by 33% in 2020, with 72% of consumers continuing to make purchases online even after lockdowns abated.
It has become the fourth largest market in the EU and the 16th largest eCommerce market globally. In terms of product categories, the most popular items purchased online in Spain are fashion-related, followed by food, personal care, consumer electronics, and furniture.
Spanish Consumer Delivery Preferences
Like most consumers on the continent, Spaniards value a variety of different delivery methods, as well as placing a priority on speed and price. Here’s what you need to know.
Home Delivery
When it comes to online shopping in Spain, home delivery is the most common delivery option preferred by consumers. The convenience of having items delivered directly to their doorstep makes this delivery option highly attractive to Spanish consumers. Just over half (51%) of consumers will choose standard home delivery, compared to 43% who choose nominated day delivery and 39% who choose next-day delivery, according to Sendcloud’s E-commerce Delivery Compass report.
Express Delivery
Express delivery is becoming increasingly popular in Spain, with consumers willing to pay extra for faster delivery times. Many Spanish retailers now offer same-day or next-day delivery options to meet this demand — and we recommend you do the same.
According to a survey by Ipsos-Octopia, the vast majority of Spanish online shoppers say delivery time is important or very important, and 94% of them check it before making an order. That means you could suffer a high cart abandonment rate if you don’t have express delivery options at checkout.
PUDO
PUDO, or pick-up and drop-off points, are becoming a popular delivery option for Spanish consumers. This delivery option allows customers to collect their purchases from a designated point, such as a local store or post office, at a time that is convenient for them. In fact, Spain is one of the top European markets for PUDO and Click & Collect delivery options. Around half of consumers like using this service, according to research by MetaPack.
Research by Statista in 2020 puts the figure even higher. They report 62% of Spanish shoppers would opt to collect their parcel from a drop-off point.
There is no shortage of drop-off points, either. Further Statista research shows:
- Correos has over 8000 locations
- GLS has 4,100 locations
- DHL has 3,600 locations
The good news is that this is often a more cost-effective option for retailers.
Sustainable Delivery
Sustainable delivery is becoming an increasingly important consideration for Spanish consumers. Many are concerned about the environmental impact of delivery and are actively seeking out retailers who prioritise sustainability in their delivery processes.
In a report by DHL that included respondents from Spain, over half of consumers want retailers to become more sustainable, and that includes delivery and packaging. What’s more, 58% of shoppers said they were willing to wait longer for a delivery if it meant it was more sustainable. At Pro Carrier, sustainability is one of the main qualities that we look for when selecting carrier partnerships to ensure that we are providing the best overall service that we can.
Delivery Costs and Expectations
Keeping Spanish consumers satisfied is easier said than done, as they have some of the highest delivery expectations in Europe. They came on top of a consumer research study, which found 50% of Spanish consumers say they will never shop with a retailer again after a bad experience. The same study found over half (55%) believe they shouldn’t have to pay for standard delivery — a figure that is 10% higher than the global average.
Spanish consumers are incredibly price-conscious when it comes to shipping and high fees are a big concern. Almost half (44%) of Spanish consumers say high delivery prices have a significant negative impact on the eCommerce experience.
Ship to Spain the Easy Way With Pro Carrier
If you want to meet your Spanish customers’ delivery expectations, Pro Carrier is here to help.
We provide a carrier-agnostic cross-border eCommerce service that lets you choose the best provider for each individual order. Whether you want to prioritise price or delivery options, you can do it all in the Pro Carrier portal.
Better still, our platform integrates with every major eCommerce platform, which lets you provide accurate delivery times and costs at checkout. Even order updates are sent in your customer’s local language.
Find out more about how you can meet your customers’ delivery expectations in Spain by speaking to an expert today.
