Nordic e-commerce for SEK 34 billion during first quarter

During the first quarter this year, seven in ten Nordic residents bought goods online for a total value of about SEK 34 billion. E-commerce is an important part of everyday life for consumers in the Nordic region. The strong growth of e-commerce was also evident from parcel volumes: PostNord’s e-commerce-related B2C parcel volumes increased by 15 percent in the first quarter of the year.

E-commerce is important in all Nordic countries according to the PostNord report, E-commerce in the Nordics Q1 2014. Norwegians shop online most frequently, with 75 percent doing so during the first quarter. Finland had the Nordic region’s lowest percentage of e-commerce consumers – 66 percent.

- To meet the growing e-commerce market, PostNord is increasing its focus on e-commerce. We will pursue the development of innovative solutions in the Nordic market in terms of the delivery of e-commerce goods. To do this in practice, we need insight into the similarities and differences in the Nordic markets, says Håkan Ericsson, PostNord President and CEO.

Delivery preferences for goods purchased online differ between countries and based on the type of goods purchased, although mailbox delivery is generally the most popular delivery alternative in all Nordic countries but Finland, where the preference is to pick up goods purchased online at a partner outlet. Many Danish e-commerce consumers prefer to have their goods delivered during the daytime. Interest in home deliveries is fairly low in other Nordic countries, where more people prefer to pick up their parcels at a partner outlet at a time that suits them.

-We will continue to be the first choice in the Nordic e-commerce market. PostNord will help drive companies’ growth and competitiveness, and will remain the natural choice for senders and recipients of e-commerce goods, said says Håkan Ericsson, PostNord President and CEO.

Summary: E-commerce in the Nordics Q1 2014

• The value of Nordic consumer e-commerce during the first quarter of 2014 was approximately SEK 34E-commerce in the Nordics Q1 2014 billion.
• Of this amount, consumers estimate that around SEK 10.1 billion was generated from e-commerce conducted with sites they consider foreign.
• 33 percent of Nordic-region e-commerce mail items during the period came from foreign countries, according to consumer estimates.
• When Nordic residents shop online from foreign sites, they prefer sites from Great Britain.
• Clothing, books, home electronics, and cosmetics, skin and hair products are the four product categories from which Nordic consumers bought the most products online during the first quarter.
• Half of all e-commerce consumers in the Nordic countries think it is fairly important to have the option of choosing how goods ordered online are delivered.
• Expectations for delivery time differ between countries: Danes are willing to wait a maximum of 3.3 days to receive good ordered online, while Finnish e-commerce consumers are willing to up to 4.9 days.

About E-commerce in the Nordics Q1 2014
As of Q1 2014, PostNord will monitor Nordic e-commerce development on a quarterly basis. The study is based on consumers’ estimations of the amount spent on goods purchased online. E-commerce in the Nordics is published quarterly and based on a consumer survey conducted in April 2014 in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland of over 4,000 respondents.

For further information, please contact
PostNord Media Relations, tel: 46 10 436 10 10, e-mail: press@postnord.com

PostNord is the leading supplier of communications and logistics solutions to,from and within the Nordic region. We also ensure the postal service to private individuals and businesses inSweden and Denmark. With our expertise and a strong distribution network,we are developing the basis for tomorrow’s communication, e-commerce,distribution and logistics in the Nordic region. In 2013, the Group had sales of SEK 40 billion and 39,000 employees. The parent company is a Swedish public limited company with headquarters in Solna, Sweden. Visit us at postnord.com

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