Just as in previous years, clothes, trips, holidays and event tickets are products commonly bought online. Although these goods remain most popular, online purchases of food and medicines have risen most rapidly. The volume of online sales of food and medicines has more than doubled since 2012. When interviewed, nearly one in five persons indicated they had purchased food products online. Seven percent bought medicines online.
Young people slightly more often than average buy concert tickets and hardware or software products, whereas 25 to 64-year-olds more often than young people buy household appliances online and over-65s often buy books or magazines via internet retailers.
Top 10 online purchases, 2016
Top 10 online purchases, 2016
2016
2012
Clothes and sports equipment
47.9
31.2
Trips and accommodations
44.2
34
Tickets for events
38.3
25.5
Books, magazines and newspapers
29.1
22.9
Household goods and appliances
28.6
15.8
Software, hardware and electronic equipment
26.1
12.8
Telecommunication services (subscriptions)
20.1
12
Food products, cosmetics and cleaning products
18.5
7.3
Films, music
14.8
14.6
Medicines
6.8
2.6
Top 10 online purchases, 2016
2016
2012
Clothes and sports equipment
47.9
31.2
Trips and accommodations
44.2
34
Tickets for events
38.3
25.5
Books, magazines and newspapers
29.1
22.9
Household goods and appliances
28.6
15.8
Software, hardware and electronic equipment
26.1
12.8
Telecommunication services (subscriptions)
20.1
12
Food products, cosmetics and cleaning products
18.5
7.3
Films, music
14.8
14.6
Medicines
6.8
2.6
More than one-quarter of insurance products taken out online
The internet also serves as a platform for buying and selling financial products and services. In 2016 27 percent of interviewed have taken out an insurance policy online or have changed their current agreement; 6 percent buy or sell shares, bonds or other investment products online. The internet is used by 4 percent to negotiate loans or credit schemes.
Most potential customers check out online suppliers before they buy
Forty percent indicate they (nearly) always look for information about online suppliers; 35 percent have accessed websites or apps where prices and products are compared or have read reviews of other customers. Five percent have occasionally bought or ordered goods or services without prior investigation, by directly clicking on an ad on a social media website or app, like Facebook or Twitter.
