E-commerce by the Numbers

The Fevad study from 2015 uncovered a great many interesting facts about e-commerce. This sector has indeed revolutionised consumers' relationship with purchasing, and has continued to expand ever since.

Which sectors are most impacted?

Online transactions are growing more numerous year on year. In 2014, there were 700 million online transactions — 15% more than in 2013.
The sectors most affected by e-commerce are tourism, which owes 18.3 billion euros of its revenue to e-commerce — 32% of its total turnover.
Behind that comes the clothing and footwear sector alongside home textiles: 5.4 billion euros come from e-commerce, representing 10% of the total.
To complete the top 3, home equipment and click-and-collect for everyday consumer goods are tied, each accounting for 7% — or 4 billion euros each.

And what about m-commerce?

Mobile transactions are also becoming increasingly significant.
Mobile commerce accounted for 4 billion euros in 2014 — 54% more than in 2013! This relatively recent market has therefore already proven itself and is still growing rapidly.
Indeed, 34.7 million French people made a purchase online — 79% of internet users — in 2014. Of these, 6 million made their purchase on a smartphone, and 10.7% made their most recent purchase within the previous month at the time the data was collected. There is no doubt that the numbers have continued to rise since then.
It is also worth noting that 21% of leading websites' turnover is attributable to purchases made on mobiles and tablets.

The behaviour of connected consumers

It is interesting to take a closer look at consumers' new habits.
The average basket for an online transaction stood at 81 euros, with an average of 20 online purchases per consumer in 2014. In total, an average buyer spent 1,625 euros in 2014, with more than 400 million parcels posted.
More specifically, the adult and children's clothing sector benefits most from e-commerce, with 44% of purchases made on a computer, 11% on a smartphone, and 16% on a tablet.

These figures come from a 2015 study. Undoubtedly, everything has continued to grow since then, across all sectors. Indeed, at the time, e-commerce accounted for 112,000 jobs, and 48% of websites planned to increase their headcount in the future. Further proof, if any were needed, that the sector was still in full expansion and has continued to extend its reach.