ELSTAT: Leap in e-commerce in the first quarter of 2021

Six out of 10 (58.3%) Greeks aged 16-74, who have ever used the internet at least once, made, during the first quarter of 2021, an online purchase or order of goods or services via the internet , for personal use, according to the results of the ELSTAT research on the use of Information and Communication Technologies by households and individuals in 2021.

Compared to the first quarter of 2020, the percentage of internet users who made online purchases increased by 22.0%.

91.5% of consumers who made e-purchases chose to make e-purchases from domestic companies, a percentage that records a decrease of 1.7% compared to 2020 (93.1%), while an increase of 20.5% and 14.4 % is recorded in consumers who made online purchases from sellers in other EU countries (2020: 21.0%, 2021: 25.3%) and from sellers in non-EU countries (2020: 13.9%, 2021: 15.9%) , respectively.

Regarding the physical (non-digital) products purchased or ordered, from the internet, during the first quarter of 2021, for personal use:

• 76.3% of people aged 16-74 who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021, bought clothing (including sportswear), footwear and accessories (bags, jewelry, etc.)

• 33.0% of people bought food delivered from restaurants, fast food restaurants, catering

• 29.7% of people bought cosmetics, beauty or health products and,

• 29.1% of people bought sportswear, excluding sportswear and footwear included in clothing and footwear.

In particular, with regard to products purchased in digital form:
• 19.5% of people aged 16-74 who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021, bought movies or series, either as a streaming service or as a downloadable digital file. Compared to the first quarter of 2020 (8.3%), an increase of 134.9% was recorded.

• 9.8% of people bought music, either as a streaming service or as a downloadable digital file. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (4.0%) an increase of 145.0% was recorded.

• 6.1% of people bought e-books, online newspapers / magazines. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (2.6%) an increase of 134.6% was recorded.

• 6.1% of people bought games for mobile phones, tablets, PCs or game consoles. Compared to the first quarter of 2020 (4.8%), an increase of 27.1% was recorded.

Regarding more purchased services:
• 18.0% of people aged 16-74 who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021, bought internet subscriptions or mobile connections. Compared to the first quarter of 2020 (17.2%), an increase of 4.6% was recorded.

• 16.0% of people aged 16-74 bought electricity, water, gas, etc. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (13.2%) an increase of 21.2% was recorded.

• 1.5% of people aged 16-74 bought tickets for cultural events or leisure (cinema, theater, concerts, etc.). In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (14.3%) a decrease of 89.5% was recorded.

The survey also recorded information regarding the purchase of transport / transportation services and accommodation services, both by companies and individuals / individuals, in the context of the cooperative economy.

• 8.7% of 16-74 year olds who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021, bought transportation services from public transport companies such as KTEL, public transport, taxi companies (including UBER), airline and shipping companies, etc. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (21.9%) a decrease of 60.3% was recorded.

• 0.7% of individuals purchased transportation / transportation services from individuals / individuals through online platforms or applications. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (1.6%) a decrease of 56.3% was recorded.

• 5.0% of people bought accommodation services from businesses such as hotels or travel agencies. In relation to the first quarter of 2020 (9.8%) a decrease of 49.0% was recorded.

• 2.2% of individuals purchased accommodation services from individuals / individuals through online platforms or applications such as e.g. Airbnb, Homeaway, ihaHolidays. Compared to 2020 (6.0%) a decrease of 63.3% is recorded.

As for the number and value of purchases conducted online in the first quarter of 2021:

• 3 in 10 (26.7%), of those who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021, made 1 to 2 purchases / orders, 3 in 10 (35.5%) 3 to 5 purchases / orders and 4 in 10 (37.8%) more than 5 purchases / orders and,

• 3 in 10 (28.3%) paid a total price of less than 100 euros for the products or services they bought / ordered, 5 in 10 (48.3%) paid from 100 to less than 500 euros and 2 in 10 ( 23.4%) paid from 500 euros and up. Those who paid 500 euros or more were recorded, in relation to the AD quarter of 2020 (10.5%), an increase of 122.9%.

25.9% of people aged 16-74 who made online purchases in the first quarter of 2021 encountered a problem during the purchase. An increase of 49.7% is recorded in the percentage of those who encountered a problem compared to the corresponding percentage recorded for the first quarter of 2019 (17.3%). An increase of 148.8% was recorded in the percentage of those who reported as a problem the delivery time of the products that was longer than indicated, and a decrease in the percentage of those who reported difficulty in using the website and technical problems, final cost higher than indicated, delivery of damaged or wrong products, etc.

The main reasons for not making e-purchases in the first quarter of 2021, is the preference of buyers to see the product / custom theme (50.1%), the no need to make e-purchases (29.9%) and the belief that they will have difficulty due to lack of skills (22.9%).

Internet access

85.1% of Greek households have access to the internet from their home from 80.4% in 2020, according to the ELSTAT survey.

Compared to 2011, there is a 69.5% increase in internet access from home, as shown by the ELSTAT survey.

Broadband uses 85.0% of all households in the country with at least one member aged 16-74, showing, compared to 2020 (80.0%), an increase of 6.3%. The corresponding percentage of households that have access to the internet from home is 99.9%.

At the same time, 8 out of 10 (78.5%) aged 16-74 years used the internet during the first quarter of 2021. An increase of 0.5% was recorded compared to 2020.

According to the survey data, the internet is used on a regular basis, ie at least once a week, by 98.2% of those who used the internet in the first quarter of 2021. More than twice, during the day, 91.1% of everyday users used the internet.

Reasons for using the Internet

Regarding the reasons for using the internet, the main activity is the online reading of news from websites, newspapers, magazines, and it concerns the 9 out of 10 (90.4%) aged 16-74 years, who used the internet in the first quarter of 2021 .

Banking online shows the largest increase of 15.4%, compared to the first quarter of 2020, climbing to 54% from 46.8%, a year earlier.

Similar increases were recorded, in relation to the AD quarter 2020, and due to the health conditions, in activities such as making phone calls and video calls with applications such as Skype, Messenger, Viber, etc. (+ 15.1%) and the search for health information (+ 12.0%).

The research records an increase of 81.3% in the internet users who attended an online seminar or course and 104.1% in those who used online educational material (audiovisual material, software, electronic manuals, applications) in addition to the material related to the online program they attended . It is pointed out that pupils, students, students constitute 7.8% of the reference population of the research (population aged 16-74 years).

For the first time, the survey included questions related to digital skills, related to information or content of news websites or social media, and actions taken to verify the truth or not of this information.

• 1 in 2 (48.6%) aged 16-74 years who used the internet during the first quarter of 2021, saw on the internet, news websites or social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, etc. a.) information or content (videos, photographs) that they considered untrue or questionable.

• 6 out of 10 (60.7%) of those who saw the information / content checked the truth. Specifically:
o 79.9% checked the sources of the information or found other information on the internet (on other sites, Wikipedia or elsewhere),
o 60.0% discussed with others, outside the internet, the disputed information / content or searched in other sources offline,
o 25.8% followed or participated in internet discussions related to this information / content.

• 4 in 10 (39.3%) who saw the information / content and did not check its truth, did not do so, mainly because they knew that the information, content or source was not reliable (72.0%) or because they did not have the knowledge or skills to control (13.7%).

EGovernment

At the same time, 1 in 2 (55.0%) aged 16-74 years used e-government services, during the period April 2020 – March 2021, for personal reasons

Based on the results of the research:
• An increase of 38.5% was recorded in the percentage of the population aged 16-74 years that procured / printed applications, certificates, certificates, etc. documents, in relation to the corresponding period one year ago and,

• An increase of 36.6% was recorded in the percentage of the population aged 16-74 years who submitted completed forms online. Typical examples that fall into this category of transactions with public services and authorities, are the submission of the tax return, but also the submission of an application for vaccination, for intangible prescription, etc.