Among the sectors where e-commerce is most popular in Italy, a clear preference emerges for:
Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 6:29 am
Furthermore, 36% of Italian respondents are interested in other users' recommendations only half the time when making online purchases, although this aspect remains highly valued in all the countries studied. One possible reason is that recommendations are currently not relevant to specific interests and needs. In this regard, brands could seize the opportunity to highlight the most relevant reviews themselves, using contextual marketing to collect customer signals and, through artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms , constantly anticipate consumer behavior, providing them with an additional service.
travel (79%), fashion (78%), and the sale of digital products (70%). Travel and fashion represent the categories of goods most commonly purchased online in all the countries shop surveyed, with the exception of China, Korea, and Russia. Online, however, is much less popular for purchasing financial products such as insurance, loans, or mortgages (38%), and furniture (48%). Among respondents, it also emerged that men purchase more clothing, accessories, and shoes (83%), while women prefer to go online for travel and vacation purchases (83%).
Although fashion is among the sectors with the highest number of online purchases, it is also the one with the highest number of interruptions: 19% of respondents said they abandon their carts half the time. Conversely, when it comes to entertainment experiences, 21% of respondents say they never do so, while those who shop online, namely groceries and consumer goods, admit to rarely abandoning their carts (36%). Purchases such as tickets for events and concerts are made more quickly on average; in fact, over 50% of consumers in the study said they buy immediately. The same situation occurs for food products. On average, for all sectors considered, purchases are completed within the same day.
Among the reasons for abandoning a purchase, 53% of respondents cited shipping costs , 38% cited using the shopping cart simply to compare products, and 31% cited the unavailability of the item they wanted to purchase. Among the most effective drivers for pushing the "buy" button, suggested by respondents, brands' proactive approach was appreciated. 55% of consumers cited notifications about discounts and ad hoc promotions, 34% cited notifications about purchase benefits, and 27% cited answers to questions about selected items.
“ In the digital age, consumers are connected, more informed than ever, and seeking personalized shopping experiences: brands can no longer rely on traditional approaches. We conducted the study to understand the friction points consumers face while shopping. The research revealed the need for companies to have a robust omnichannel strategy to eliminate these friction points. Information and data on the reasons that lead consumers to abandon their carts are indispensable resources. The type of goods selected, the time invested in completing specific actions, the overall duration of the purchase, and the precise point of abandonment are all details that clarify what happens at each stage of the customer journey, in order to eliminate potential gaps and improve customer engagement, ” says Ivano Fossati, Vice President Operations & Business Development CoE, SAP Customer Experience EMEA South.
travel (79%), fashion (78%), and the sale of digital products (70%). Travel and fashion represent the categories of goods most commonly purchased online in all the countries shop surveyed, with the exception of China, Korea, and Russia. Online, however, is much less popular for purchasing financial products such as insurance, loans, or mortgages (38%), and furniture (48%). Among respondents, it also emerged that men purchase more clothing, accessories, and shoes (83%), while women prefer to go online for travel and vacation purchases (83%).
Although fashion is among the sectors with the highest number of online purchases, it is also the one with the highest number of interruptions: 19% of respondents said they abandon their carts half the time. Conversely, when it comes to entertainment experiences, 21% of respondents say they never do so, while those who shop online, namely groceries and consumer goods, admit to rarely abandoning their carts (36%). Purchases such as tickets for events and concerts are made more quickly on average; in fact, over 50% of consumers in the study said they buy immediately. The same situation occurs for food products. On average, for all sectors considered, purchases are completed within the same day.
Among the reasons for abandoning a purchase, 53% of respondents cited shipping costs , 38% cited using the shopping cart simply to compare products, and 31% cited the unavailability of the item they wanted to purchase. Among the most effective drivers for pushing the "buy" button, suggested by respondents, brands' proactive approach was appreciated. 55% of consumers cited notifications about discounts and ad hoc promotions, 34% cited notifications about purchase benefits, and 27% cited answers to questions about selected items.
“ In the digital age, consumers are connected, more informed than ever, and seeking personalized shopping experiences: brands can no longer rely on traditional approaches. We conducted the study to understand the friction points consumers face while shopping. The research revealed the need for companies to have a robust omnichannel strategy to eliminate these friction points. Information and data on the reasons that lead consumers to abandon their carts are indispensable resources. The type of goods selected, the time invested in completing specific actions, the overall duration of the purchase, and the precise point of abandonment are all details that clarify what happens at each stage of the customer journey, in order to eliminate potential gaps and improve customer engagement, ” says Ivano Fossati, Vice President Operations & Business Development CoE, SAP Customer Experience EMEA South.