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Over the past decade, online spending has seen a steady increase in Austria. From 2021 to 2022, there was a sudden increase of over *** billion euros. 2023, was, in fact, the first year since 2006 that saw a decline in e-commerce spending, this could be due to sharp inflation that the country experienced in 2022 and 2023.

Fast fashion

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most popular categories for online shoppers were clothing and apparel, along with electronics and household goods. Online fashion stores are frequented by many people who shop online because of the vast choice of items as well as the often quick turnover of items. Although this business model is unsustainable and harmful to the environment, the fast fashion market, of which the online segment is a big part, is growing. This is likely due to the cheaper prices that these brands can offer. However, deliveries themselves have a significant environmental impact and create a massive amount of waste. In Austria, only around a quarter of consumers considered the environmental impact of delivery options when shopping online.

Customer convenience

The popularity of fast fashion comes in part from convenience, consumers can buy clothing that keeps up with the latest trends at a relatively cheap price. The convenience aspect of online shopping is something that for some customers makes it preferable to going into a brick-and-mortar store. When asked about delivery options for online shopping, most respondents answered that it was important to them to have the option of different delivery times e.g., both standard and express. Furthermore, when looking to the future of online shopping, the innovations that were most desired by e-shoppers included frictionless payments, personalized product recommendations, and a seamless omnichannel experience. All of these innovations make the online shopping experience smoother for users, and it is clear that ease and convenience are crucial for success in the e-commerce space.