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Ireland
Delivery Matters
Understanding online shoppers in Ireland in 2017
#DeliveryMatters
2
Delivery Mattersfor Ireland
*‘Census 2016 Summary Results’, Apr. 2017
**‘ Information Society Statistics –
Households’, Dec. 2016
***‘ Top Desktop, Tablet & Console Browsers
Per Country’, Jul. 2013
Welcome to Delivery Matters, now
in its ninth year of providing the
latest trends and insights into the UK
and international online shopping
environment. In this edition, we take
our fi rst look at Ireland.
Ireland is an ideal fi rst-step export
market for UK businesses looking to dip
their toes into overseas markets. For a
start, 14% of online shoppers in Ireland
are UK nationals. It’s also in the same
time zone, is English speaking, has a
strong transport infrastructure, and
consumers have a good perception of
British quality.
Unsurprisingly, given how close the
countries are geographically and
culturally, a big percentage of online
shoppers from Ireland buy from UK
websites. That stems from a high
level of trust in the authenticity of
UK products. Interestingly, Ireland’s
shoppers are still cautious about
shopping online overall, and that aff ects
their purchase decisions – even from UK
websites. This is why providing a variety
of delivery options and tracking should
be imperative for UK retailers.
When it comes to how the shopping’s
being done, the report shows that
Ireland’s consumers use their mobiles
more than those in the UK, and a
large majority buy things from online
marketplaces. Clothing is top of the
shopping list, making it the favourite
category purchased online from
UK retailers.
For UK retailers looking to attract online
shoppers in Ireland, there are local
expectations that need to be met.
At Royal Mail we can help deliver on
those. This report will show you how.
Nick LandonManaging Director of Royal Mail Parcels
Contents
Introduction
02 Introduction
03 Online shopping trends
04 Top trends for 2017
05 A snapshot of online shopping habits
06 What’s on the shopping list?
07 Buying is still a bit risky
08 Shopping’s much more mobile
09 Online marketplaces are thriving
10 Which online marketplaces are most popular?
11 Fulfi lment 12 Delivery costs and abandoned carts
13 Sending things back
14 Ireland’s online shoppers like delivery done right
15 How Ireland’s online shoppers feel about free delivery
16 Attitudes towards tracked deliveries
17 Preferred delivery location
19 Ireland and the UK
20 Ireland loves UK brands
21 Popular purchases from UK websites
22 Why do Ireland’s shoppers buy UK?
23 Trust is high
24 Cart abandonment when shopping from UK sites
25 The willingness to wait for delivery
26 How important is international tracking?
27 Barriers to buying from UK websites
28 Delivery satisfaction means more sales
29 In summary
30 Ireland market must-do’s
31 Royal Mail services
32 Services to suit your customers
32 About this research
33 Helping your business deliver to Ireland
Fast Facts:Ireland, Republic of
Capital: Dublin
Population: 4.76 million*
Area: 70,273 sq km
(27,133 sq mi)
Major languages:
Irish, English
Life expectancy: 78 years
(men), 83 years (women)
Currency: Euro
Internet usage: 82%
of the population are
internet users**
Preferred browser:
Google Chrome***
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4
Online shopping trends
Top trends for 2017 Separated by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s
Channel, Ireland is geographically very close to Great Britain.
How close is its online shopping behaviour? While there are
similarities, our report uncovered trends that are surprisingly
unique to the way people shop online in Ireland.
They’re more mobile
Ireland’s online shoppers like to
buy things from their phones and
tablets. Three in five of them have
bought items with a mobile device
– and the proportion of their online
spend represents 73% of their
total spending.
They’re more cautious
Online shoppers in Ireland
abandon their carts more than
the international average. With
nearly one in two of them doing so
frequently, it’s a clear sign they’re
more cautious than most when it
comes to hitting the ‘buy’ button.
They’re more demanding
Possibly due to that caution and
need for reassurance, Ireland’s
online shoppers have greater
delivery expectations. From
tracking to delivery speed,
they’re far more demanding than
the international average. These
demands ultimately extend to value
for money, which is a key driver
when shopping with UK retailers. of online shoppers’ total
spend is made online
73%
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5 6
5x
While online shopping frequency and spend in Ireland are
lower than the international average, the proportion being
spent online is similar.
In the last three months the average shopper in Ireland has…
A snapshot of online shopping habits
£309
£226
shopped online five times
spent £226 (€255*) online only
(73% of total spending)
spent £309 (€348*)
online and offline
Did you know?Online shoppers in Ireland
are relatively active buyers,
almost equalling the
international average of
purchasing six times in
the last three months.
* Currency exchange rate to British pounds
as at 4 October 2017.
What’s on the shopping list?Like the UK, clothes and books are the two favourite product
purchases for Ireland’s online shoppers. Interestingly, buying
holidays and travel is much more popular for online shoppers
in Ireland than it is in other international markets.
Most popular products to buy online:
of Ireland’s online shoppers
purchase clothes
51%
26%51% 27% 25% 23% 17%45% 27% 19% 21%
Key
Ireland
United Kingdom
Clothes Books Holidays /
travel
Footwear CDs / DVDs
/ records /
computer
games
Online shopping trends
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7 8
Buying is still a bit riskyOver half of the audience we surveyed in Ireland told us they
think buying from a website is a risk. Which shows there’s
a need for online retailers to reassure their shoppers.
40%say they’re happy to
buy from websites and
don’t consider it a risk
Expert adviceKeeping shoppers in the
loop about despatch and
delivery times can be a
good way to build trust
and reassurance.
Expert adviceMobile optimisation should
be a given for UK retailers
looking to attract online
shoppers in Ireland.
51%say they’re happy to buy
from websites but
consider it a risk
5%say they’re not happy
to buy from websites and
consider it a risk
Shopping’s much more mobile In Ireland, mobile data is cheaper than anywhere else
in Europe. Which could be a reason why people use their
smartphone or tablet to shop online more than people in
the UK or internationally do.
How people shop online in Ireland:
Key
Ireland
United Kingdom
International
average60% 48% 29%42% 28% 25%50% 42% 21%
Mobile device Smartphone Tablet
Online shopping trends
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9 10
Online shopping trends
Online marketplacesare thrivingOnline marketplaces in Ireland are popular spots to visit, with
shoppers using them more frequently than those in the UK.
Percentage of online shoppers who use marketplaces:
Ireland International
average UK
The report also shows that Ireland’s online shoppers are far more heavily
infl uenced by delivery ratings. Eight in ten take these ratings into account when
buying things, which is a lot higher than the UK and international average.
78% 69% 80%
of online shoppers in
Ireland are heavily
infl uenced by marketplace
delivery ratings
vs 54% in the UK
vs 76% international average
79%
Which online marketplaces are most popular? When it comes to using online marketplaces, Ireland’s shoppers
have a clear preference. Just like in the UK, eBay and Amazon
are easily the most popular.
Online marketplace usage in Ireland:Expert adviceWhile eBay is ranking first
in marketplace usage,
Ireland’s online shoppers
show they’re more
motivated by bargains.
Sellers should act on
this by offering value for
money – both on products
and delivery.
eBay
77%
Etsy Gumtree
13% 12%
Amazon
72%
DoneDeal
42%
AliExpress
26%
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12
Fulfi lment
Delivery costs andabandoned cartsIreland’s online shoppers abandon their carts more frequently than
the international average. We investigated why.
The biggest reason was unhappiness with delivery charges – an
issue that was mentioned more o� en than the international average.
Top reasons for cart abandonment in Ireland:
of shoppers abandon carts frequentlyvs 31% in the UK
vs 38% international
average
43%are unhappy with the
delivery charge
32%changed their mind
after seeing what
they’d spent
47%
he
changed the
afafter seein
ththeye ’d s
41%were just
browsing
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13 14
Fulfi lment
Sending things backIn Ireland, return rates are pretty much the same as
the international average. It’s worth noting that a
considerable three in four shoppers would be put off
buying from the same retailer as a result of a diffi cult
return experience.
The frequency of returns in Ireland:
• 26% have recently returned an item
(vs 27% international average)
• 21% have recently returned an item bought from a UK site
(vs 21% international average)
• 76% are unlikely to revisit a retailer following
a diffi cult return experience.
What makes shoppers more likely to buy
from a retailer?
89% think it’s important to be able to return items online for free
87% are more likely to shop if there’s a clear returns policy.
29%clothes
9%footwear
6%toiletries
/makeup
6% CDs, DVDs, records
and computer games
8% electrical goods
Items that are returned most:
Ireland’s online shoppers like delivery done rightDelivery satisfaction is a strong driver of repeat purchases for
Ireland’s online shoppers. 94% of them agree they’re more likely
to shop with an online retailer again if they’re satisfi ed with the
delivery. That’s higher than the international average of 91%.
How delivery impacts online shopping:
Expert adviceClear, upfront delivery
information is key to
satisfying online shoppers
in Ireland. If retailers get it
right, they set themselves
up for repeat business.
92% 74%
want clear delivery
information before they
place an order
say it’s important to
be able to specify a
delivery day
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15 16
84%are more confident
when ordering online with tracking
How Ireland’s online shoppers feel about free delivery Ireland’s online shoppers are a lot less demanding about free delivery
than the international average. The report shows that only one in
four expect to pay nothing, regardless of the amount they spend.
Free delivery expectations of online shoppers in Ireland:• 25% expect free delivery with no minimum spend
(vs 55% international average, 44% in the UK)
• 30% expect needing to spend over €20
• 23% expect needing to spend over €30
• 19% expect needing to spend over €50.
Interestingly, nearly three quarters of shoppers in Ireland actively look for retail websites that offer free delivery.73% claim to ‘search out websites that off er free delivery’
Did you know?While shoppers in Ireland
seem to have a more
realistic expectation of
paying for delivery, they
still actively look for free
delivery. So offering it
could be used as a strategy
for repeat purchase.
Did you know?In a market where one
in two consider online
shopping to be a risk,
off ering tracked deliveries
can help reassure
customers about making
the purchase.
Fulfi lment
Attitudes towardstracked deliveries The results of our report show that when consumers in Ireland
shop online, they’re in need of reassurance. Tracking clearly helps
provide this, as eight in ten tell us they feel more confi dent about
making a purchase when tracking is available as an option.
Top reasons for offering tracking:
gcking
vs69% UK and
81% international
average
90%consider it important
to receive delivery updates
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17 18
Preferred delivery locationJust like the majority of UK online shoppers, those in Ireland prefer
items they’ve bought to be delivered to their home. However, the
number of people who prefer to have items delivered to work is
higher than the international and UK average.
Where do Ireland’s shoppers prefer to have items delivered?
Home 69%
Work 11%Post Office 5%
Fulfi lment
3%69% 11% 5% 4% 3%68% 4% 5% 3%
Key
Ireland
United Kingdom
Home address Work address Post Office Parcel lockers Retailer’s store
Preferred delivery location –UK comparison
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20
Ireland and the UKU
Ireland loves UK brands Unsurprisingly, given the geographical proximity, the proportion of
Ireland’s shoppers purchasing from UK websites is far higher than
the international average.
81% have purchased from a UK website in the last three months
14% of Ireland’s online shoppers are UK nationals
In the last three months, the average shopper in Ireland purchasing from a UK website has:
• shopped online four times
• spent €174 (£154).*
Saving money with UK post codes
54% of shoppers in Ireland are aware of a service that delivers to Northern
Ireland to take advantage of cheaper delivery costs to a UK postal address.
And over half of those have used it. So UK retailers could off er better value
for money by providing a UK postal address of their own in Northern Ireland.
* Currency exchange rate to British pounds
as at 4 October 2017.
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21 22
Ireland and the UK
Popular purchases fromUK websitesClothes and books are the favourite things to buy from UK online
retailers. It’s interesting to note that shoppers in Ireland buy almost
the same things from UK websites as shoppers in the UK do.
Did you know?Online shoppers in Ireland
are particulary interested
in buying UK fashion,
such as clothes, shoes
and accessories.
41% 23% 16% 15% 13% 10%
Clothes Books Footwear CDs/DVDs/
Records/
Computer
Games
Accessories
(e.g. handbags)
Sportswear/
sports
equipment
Why do Ireland’s shoppersbuy UK?Two key reasons drive Ireland’s online shoppers to purchase
from UK websites. The fi rst one is price, followed closely
by availability.
Why shoppers in Ireland buy from UK websites:
49% of Ireland’s shoppers are likely to choose a UK online retailer while they
shop generally, compared to 34% who seek out a specifi c website.
Search engines and word of mouth are the key channels that shoppers
in Ireland use to discover UK websites.
How Ireland’s shoppers fi nd UK websites:
48% via a search engine
37% from a friend/family recommendation
29% through advertising
said they’re cheaper said the item was only
available in the UK
said the item was better
quality from the UK
45% 42%%% 16%%
Expert adviceOne in ten online shoppers
in Ireland are initially
unaware they’re purchasing
on a UK website. So it’s
important for UK retailers
to prioritise Search Engine
Optimisation (SEO) and
mobile advertising.
of Ireland’s shoppers fi nd UK
websites via a search engine
48%
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23 24
Ireland’s online shoppers were asked about their attitudes
towards shopping from UK websites. Trust in the authenticity
of UK products scored highest – signifi cantly more than the
international average.
Although shoppers are still cautious
Even among Ireland’s online shoppers who already buy from UK websites,
concerns about risks such as delivery costs or hidden charges are high.
In fact, they’re similar to those who don’t buy from UK websites.
40% of shoppers are
happy to buy from UK
websites, but consider
it a risk.
40% of shoppers who
already buy from UK
websites are happy to do
so, but consider it a risk.
41% of shoppers who
don’t buy from UK
websites would
consider it a risk.
82%trust items purchased from UK websites not
to be counterfeit
66%find UK items to be much cheaper than
they are locally
Ireland and the UK
Trust is high
autious
trrusu tfroom
tto
bee ann
y
75%buy from UK
websites when products are not
available locally
Cart abandonment whenshopping from UK sites43% of shoppers in Ireland o� en abandon their UK website cart
– compared to the international average of 37%. Reasons for
this vary. International delivery cost is the most common, with
browsing behaviour and items being out of stock also in the top fi ve.
Reasons for abandoning a UK
shopping cart:
22%They didn’t have what
I wanted in stock
35%The international delivery
cost was too expensive
35%I wasn’t happy with the
delivery charge
23%I found a better deal
elsewhere
33%I was just browsing
Expert adviceUK retailers should offer
the best value delivery
they can to help curb cart
abandonment and build
repeat business from
Ireland’s online shoppers.
#DeliveryMatters
25 26
Ireland and the UK
The willingness to wait for delivery When buying from UK websites, most shoppers in Ireland
expect their delivery to take four days or longer. The average
time they expect to wait is fi ve days, just short of the
international average of six days.
Expected delivery time from UK websites:
Did you know?80% of Ireland’s shoppers
expect UK deliveries to take
four days or longer.
21% 48% 21% 9% 2%
1-3 days 4-5 days 6-7 days 8-10 days 11+ days
How important is international tracking?It’s vital to online shoppers in Ireland. 87% of them consider it
essential to receive updates about the progress of their deliveries
from the UK – which is identical to the international average.
At what stage of delivery are updates most important?
From despatch to delivery – 40%
Confirmation of despatch – 20%
Delay notification – 16%
Confirmation of delivery – 12%
Delivery attempt information – 12%
In a further sign that tracking offers peace of mind to online shoppers
in Ireland, 81% told us they would feel more confident when ordering
online with tracking, while 73% would track every item they order if the
service was available.
Fuss-free returnsRather than speedy delivery, online shoppers in Ireland tell us
they’re more interested in free, straightforward returns from
UK retailers.
• 86% would be more likely to shop if there’s a clear returns policy
(vs 85% international average).
of shoppers say it’s
most important to
receive updates from
despatch to delivery
consider it important
to be able to return
items for free (vs 86%
international average)
40%
86%
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27 28
Barriers to buying from UK websitesOnline shoppers in Ireland tend to look for value for money.
That extends to delivery. And even though delivery costs are a
lot lower than the international average, they’re still the main
reasons why shoppers hesitate to buy from UK websites.
Key reasons for not shopping from UK websites:
41%because international delivery
is too expensive 34%because of fear of
hidden charges
A helping handLearn about Royal Mail
International Standard,
our most economical way
of sending parcels abroad,
on page 32.
liveryy
36%because of customs
charges (even though there
are none within the EU)
Delivery satisfaction means more sales The vast majority of online shoppers in Ireland tell us that
the key to them buying more from UK websites lies in
delivery satisfaction.
• 93% would shop online more from UK websites if they were satisfied
with their deliveries
• 88% believe it is important to have clear delivery information before
they place their order on a UK website
• 74% search out UK websites that offer free delivery
• 72% would shop online more from UK websites if there were a wider
range of delivery options.
A tried and trusted delivery provider
Anpost is the key partner of Royal Mail in Ireland and is the trusted
delivery provider for almost nine in ten online shoppers.
How Ireland’s shoppers rate Anpost:
Trust: 89%
Awareness: 89%
would shop online more
from UK websites if they
were satisfied with their
deliveries.
would shop online moreul
w
93%
of Ireland’s shoppers
trust Anpost (key
partner of Royal Mail)
89%
Ireland and the UK
#DeliveryMatters
30
In summary
Ireland market must-do’sGo mobile
Make mobile optimisation a top priority if you want to target online
shoppers in Ireland. They use their smartphones far more than any other
device and more than any other countries in Europe.
Value is vital
Matching shoppers’ expectations of value for money is a top priority.
Aff ordability and good value are pillars of the purchase decision. Crucially,
as cart abandonment levels show, this extends to delivery charges.
Focus on delivery
UK online retailers should offer Ireland’s shoppers free delivery and
returns wherever possible, along with tracking. These are pivotal in
building shopper confidence and encouraging repeat business.
#DeliveryMatters
31 32
Royal Mail services
Royal MailInternational Tracked
Total peace of mind with a fully
tracked service and signature
option to most destinations.
• Ideal for sending important
or valuable goods
• Tracking at fi ve points
a� er despatch
• Online confi rmation of delivery
Royal Mail International Standard
An economical way to send
parcels abroad with a choice
of sorting requirements.
• Delivery to Europe in
3 to 5 working days
• Compensation included
• Free returns for
undelivered goods
Services to suit your customers
About this research
Royal Mail offers delivery to over 230 destinations worldwide,
using the local postal provider in that country. Services include:
Independently conducted by Trinity McQueen, this research was
based on a sample group of 1,503 online shoppers in Ireland
who had purchased items on the internet in the last three
months (other than groceries).
They completed a 17-minute survey, optimised for mobile and
tablet devices, between 30 April and 13 May 2017. This research
is representative of online shoppers in Ireland.
87%
#DeliveryMatters
33 34
Royal Mail services
Helping your business deliver to IrelandThank you for reading Delivery Matters for Ireland 2017 – we hope you found it
useful. If you’d like to fi nd out more about how we can help with your deliveries,
get in touch with your Royal Mail account manager, or call us on 08457 950 950*.
If you’d like to find out more about our research, or download the rest of our
series, visit royalmail.com/deliverymatters
2017
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2016
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and used for training and compliance
purposes. Calls cost 5p per minute
plus your telephone company’s
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