How French consumers shop online

 

France is a major European economy with a thriving e-Commerce sector and a wide-reaching cultural impact worldwide. If you want your business to succeed in France, you need to be aware of the specifics of French e-Commerce, including what drives French consumers. Read on to find it all out!

 

 

The digital landscape of France

France’s population is currently estimated at 66.6 million people. 63.4 million of them have an internet connection, which brings the country's internet penetration to 95.2%. The cell phone penetration data sounds even better: with 74.5 million cell phones in operation, the country boasts a 112% cell phone usage rate. However, not all of these phones are smartphones, which means that this figure may be less relevant when it comes to online shopping.

 

The social media usage rate is more accurate for e-Commerce operators. Approximately 50.4 million social media user identities exist in France, corresponding to 75.7% of the population.

 

The French e-Commerce market is currently valued at $88.77 billion and is projected to reach $128.43 billion by 2030. Thanks to government investments in developing broadband infrastructure and digital transformation, consumers are largely comfortable with online transactions.

 

| The French e-Commerce market is projected to reach $128.43 billion by 2030

 

Secure payment options and fast, affordable shipping also contribute to the success of online shopping in France, as well as the proliferation of shopping apps that elevate the simple convenience of e-Commerce into a new shopping experience.

 

However, due to the rising volume of online fraud, French consumers are increasingly aware of cyber threats. Besides satisfying consumer expectations of data security, businesses also have to comply with various French and EU-wide laws that aim to defend against cybercriminals.

 

 

The purchasing behavior of French online consumers

There are roughly 43 million consumers in France who regularly shop online, each spending an annual average of 4,216 euros. The cumulated value of all e-Commerce transactions (ca. 2.6 billion) reached 175.3 billion euros last year.

 

French consumers don’t shy away from cross-border shopping, especially when it comes to exclusive products. China is the most popular source of products bought online (53%), with Germany (24%) and Spain (15%) taking second and third places.

 

Find out all about the top 10 cross-border retailers in Europe!

 

The most popular product categories French consumers seek online are clothing and footwear (42%), electronics (18%), home and garden improvement (17%), as well as hobby and sports (13%) products.

 

As we’ve seen above, safe payment options and data security can be decisive factors for French consumers when buying a product online.

 

 

Price and quality

An interesting trend in France is the increasing popularity of store brand products. A recent survey discovered that 75% of consumers choose store brand products over international labels, mostly due to price consciousness and quality deliberations.

 

Store brands, or private brands, are sold under the brand name of the seller, but are usually created by a manufacturer that also creates similar products for international labels. It’s a common belief amongst consumers that a store brand offers roughly the same product for a much lower price.

 

 

Screenshot of random product listings on carrefour.fr, edited to display international label and store brand cereal products next to each other

 

 

Looking for store brand alternatives to more expensive products highlights the underlying motive of French consumers: despite the growing price sensitivity brought on by the uncertain economic situation, quality, authenticity, and credibility are still important. Verified customer reviews and overall brand reputation are key to achieving these latter features.

 

 

Social commerce takes a backseat

While social media usage is popular in the country, French consumers have yet to embrace social commerce in its entirety. According to a recent survey, 51% don’t use social media for online shopping at all.

 

However, 16% of shoppers discover products on social media and later buy them on the brand’s website, while another 16% opt to purchase those products in physical stores. 10% of consumers click on social media ads that lead them to a brand’s or seller’s website. Only 6% of responders have actually purchased a product on the social media platform where they’d discovered it.

 

 

Related topics

How Belgian consumers shop online

 

How South Korean consumers shop online

 

How Canadian consumers shop online

 

 

Marketing strategies for the French market

While the exact marketing strategy you need to follow largely depends on the nature of your products and your brand’s overall image, there are a few general pointers you should take into consideration if you want to make it in French e-Commerce.

 

 

Adapt to local culture

The French are proud of their language and culture, which means you won’t get away with publishing content only in English or your native language. Good quality translations are required for all your content, including ads, social media posts, product listings, and website text.

 

Moreover, your messaging has to be aligned with French consumer expectations and values. Learn as much as you can about the local culture, especially the specific likes and dislikes of your target audience, and try to adapt your messaging as much as possible within the confines of your brand image. As noted above, French consumers expect quality, advantageous prices, and, in addition, readily available after-sales services.

 

| Your messaging must be aligned with French consumer expectations and values

 

 

Digital marketing trends

Consumers in France like social media, with TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook being the most popular platforms right now. However, most consumers are still wary about actually purchasing goods via social commerce and mainly use these platforms to gather information and connect with brands.

 

Therefore, you need to ensure that all your social media content ties into your business’s website and/or stores where interested consumers can easily purchase the chosen products. And how to create engaging content? Well, referring to the previous point, working with local influencers, including micro-influencers, to create content that’s popular with your target audience (e.g., short-form videos) is a great starting point.

 

| Ensure that your social media content ties into your business’s website or stores

 

 

Consumer trust

Your business’s reputation is key to establishing trust amongst French consumers. Building on that, you need to ensure that to appear transparent and authentic in all your communications and interactions with your customers. Open, honest communication offering credible, verifiable information is important for winning the trust of French consumers.

 

 

Made-in-France appeal

French consumers typically associate products made in their country with quality and support for local values, communities, and culture. If you’re able to manufacture at least part of your products in France or work with local producers of raw materials, you should consider communicating this to your customers.

 

 

Illustration of a farmer inspecting his field

 

 

However, make sure to be honest about the actual percentage of your products' French origins. You don’t want to be the star of a social media campaign revealing that only the packaging label of your products was actually made in France.

 

 

Build local relationships

Local partnerships are key for a long-term and successful presence in French e-Commerce. Choose business partners you can trust and work with them to ease your entry to the market and create meaningful connections with French consumers.

 

 

Related topics

Popular online marketplaces from around the globe - Europe

 

A new era for digital services in Europe

 

TikTok Shop prepares for entry to Europe

 

 

Online brand protection in French e-Commerce

With the never-ending to-do list that comes with entering a new marketplace, businesses often forget to take care of their IP rights. Unfortunately, this is a mistake that will come back to haunt you in the end. Just like in the case of sickness and disasters, prevention is much more cost-effective than treatment.

 

The first step is registering your trademarks, design rights, and copyrights in your new markets, France included. This gives you the perfect legal ground to go after anyone who infringes on them. Collaborate with local legal experts for maximum efficiency, including litigation, should it come to that. And while you’re doing that, as mentioned above, ensure that you comply with all the necessary French and EU regulations, including the EU AI Act and all cybersecurity policies.

 

Moreover, work together with local authorities to ensure that counterfeit products are seized at customs. As most fake products arrive via cross-border trade, this step can be very effective in curbing the supply of counterfeits in France.

 

But registering your rights isn’t enough: you also have to ensure that they’re respected. And this is exactly what globaleyez’s services can cover for you.

 

Our online monitoring services detect infringing content everywhere on the internet, including marketplaces, social media platforms, as well as images and domains hosted anywhere online. Versatile and powerful filter options allow us to discard authorized content and zero in on infringements.

 

Once we narrow down our targets, we enforce your rights and demand the removal of any infringing content from the internet. We can do this by issuing cease-and-desist letters, reporting counterfeit products to marketplaces and the authorities, and demanding the takedown of content from entities responsible for hosting it. This includes marketplaces, domain registries and registrars, social media platforms, app stores, payment providers, and any other entity whose platform fraudsters have uploaded their content on.

 

 

Conclusion

France is the second-largest economy in the EU after Germany. With a booming e-Commerce sector and a relatively wealthy consumer base, entering the market can be worth it for your business.

 

Make sure to avoid the pitfalls and don’t let fraudsters get away with infringing on your IP rights. Contact us and let us know your concerns about the protection of your trademarks in France or anywhere else in the world!