According to the latest report on the Polish e-commerce market, internet users prefer to shop online using a laptop. This response was indicated by almost eight out of ten of those surveyed (78 per cent). Much fewer internet users use smartphones (37 per cent) or tablets (24 per cent) to shop online. For comparison, the use of desktop computers for online shopping was declared by two thirds of the respondents (66 per cent). 

The most common problems of shopping online

Respondents were asked to indicate the biggest problems of shopping online using mobile devices. More than half of the respondents complained about the difficulty of filling out forms (61 per cent) and the inadequacy of websites for making purchases in mobile version (56 per cent). Respondents were also bothered by slow internet speed (41 per cent), small font size (38 per cent), and lack of mobile applications (36 per cent), among other things.

One transaction on multiple devices

More than half of internet users (52 per cent) who use mobile devices to make purchases online will begin the purchasing process on their smartphone and complete it on their computer or tablet. This method is most common among people aged 25–34.

‘The multi-screening phenomenon in Poland is already a fact,’ says Karolina Karaś, Gemius expert. ‘From year to year the number of internet users who use their smartphone or tablet to shop online is increasing. However, despite wanting to carry out the whole purchasing process on a mobile device, internet users are forced to complete it on their desktop computer. Why? Because e-businesses, in contrast to e-consumers, have not yet crossed over to the mobile revolution,’ adds Karaś.

She also advises those engaged in online sales to rise to meet the needs of e-consumers as soon as possible. ‘Above all, it is worth adapting your website not only for smartphones, but also for tablets. Although there are much fewer of these devices in Poland than smartphones, our research shows that the value of orders made with tablets is higher than the average value of orders from smartphones, or even PCs,’ says the Gemius expert.

Karaś also draws attention to the fact that mobile phones are used primarily in the morning, and tablets in the evening. Therefore, e-businesses can adapt the whole process of marketing communication to consumers who use multiple devices throughout the day.

Source: ‘E-commerce in Poland 2015. Gemius for e-Commerce Polska’ report