E-commerce: 49% of Chileans are intensive internet shoppers

A survey by Mercado Libre and GfK revealed that those between 25 and 34 years old and over 65 are most likely to report being heavy e-commerce users.

As reported in the El Mercurio newspaper, a GfK and Mercado Libre survey of 956 people who have purchased, shopped or searched for products online in the last six months in Chile’s most populated regions revealed that 49% of Chileans report being heavy e-commerce users or intensive online shoppers.

According to the analysis, nearly half of respondents used e-commerce in the two weeks preceding the Survey on E-commerce in Chile (Radiografía del eCommerce en Chile).

People between 25 and 34 and those over 65 accounted for the highest proportion of intensive remote shoppers.

Why do Chileans buy?

People buy online mainly “for the convenience of receiving the product at home or wherever I choose” (83%). Eighty-two percent of respondents “buy online to save time,” and 80% indicated they buy “to access products not available in stores in my region or Chile.”

The most popular e-commerce categories are apparel and footwear (48%), food retail and groceries (33%) and beauty products (21%). The top “window shopping” segments are also apparel and footwear (65%) and food retail and groceries (43%). Following those, the home and furniture segment is in the top three at 38%.

Regarding shipping, 58% of users opt to wait as long as it takes for delivery to be free; 31% prefer home delivery within 48 hours, and 29% prefer in-store pickup.

Shopping experience

Survey responses indicated that the most important commitments e-commerce websites or apps should adopt to improve the shopping experience are related to savings and budget-friendliness, like “having sales and discounts on products” (45%) and “reasonable shipping costs” (40%).

The analysis concludes that these conditions provide the biggest upgrade in the shopping experience.

Other commitments that improve the online shopping experience focus on “a good product return system” (29%), “product availability” (29%) and “fast delivery” (27%).

«The frequency of online shopping stood out in these survey results. Almost half of the respondents nationwide reported shopping online this week or the previous week, showing how incredibly e-commerce has expanded to permeate all age groups and regions,» remarked Mercado Libre Director General Chile, Peru and Ecuador Alan Meyer.

GfK Chile Head of Marketing & Consumer Insights Carolina Cuneo commented on the progress and preference for the channel: «In a scenario of heightened economic uncertainty, this channel has become highly competitive, offering more attractive sales and promotions. Shipping costs have improved over the years, enhancing the consumer perception of savings.»

Mercado Libre, an Argentine company, employs thousands of people in Latin America and stands out as one of Chile’s most environmentally and socially responsible companies with the best corporate governance.