March 12, 2025
Industry

One-third of online shoppers faced issues in 2023

A 2023 survey on the use of information and communication technologies reveals that one-third (33.1%) of people in the EU who engaged in online shopping in the past 3 months reported encountering problems while making purchases through a website or an app.

Among the EU countries, the highest shares of customers who encountered problems were recorded in Luxembourg (55.5%), the Netherlands (55.2%) and Spain (49.7%).

By contrast, the lowest shares were reported in Portugal (4.3%), Latvia (13.7%) and Cyprus (14.7%).

People who encountered problems while shopping online, 2023, % of individuals who purchased online in last 3 months. Chart. See link to the full dataset below.

Source dataset: isoc_ec_iprb21

Slow delivery - most common issue for online shoppers

When examining the specific issues encountered, the most common problem was slower delivery than expected, reported by 18.7% of customers. The second most frequent issue was that website was difficult to use or worked unsatisfactorily, reported by 10.8% of shoppers. The third problem was delivery of incorrect or damaged goods or services, reported by 8.6% of customers.

Problems reported by people shopping online in the EU, 2023, % of individuals who purchased online in the last 3 months. Chart. See link to the full dataset below.