In the first quarter of 2023, the Federation of e-commerce and distance selling (Fevad) published its report on the state of electronic commerce in France. The sector is experiencing strong growth, mainly through the sale of services.
According to Fevad data, online sales reached €39.2 billion in the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 20.2 % compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of trading sites has also increased by 5 per cent over the past year.
During this period, there were 577 million transactions, an increase of 9.2 per cent over the first quarter of 2022. The average basket also increased to 68 euros. According to Fevad, this increase is partly explained by the inflation context.
However, the largest growth was in the sale of services, which grew by a record 36% compared to the first quarter of 2022. Among the most dynamic areas are travel and leisure, which increased by 52 per cent over the previous year. The travel sites of the iCE 100 panel, made up of about 100 leading sites, grew by 36% compared to last year, confirming the consumer's tendency to spend more on online travel and leisure.
On the other hand, sales of online products grew more modestly, reaching only 1%. According to Fevad, this stagnation is partly due to the fact that consumers place greater importance on food products, which are less present in e-commerce and have experienced significant price increases.
Among the sectors most affected by this situation are fashion (-3%), beauty products (-4%) and technical equipment (-1%). On the other hand, the furniture sector continued to grow by 1%.
Matthieu HAMEL, e-Commerce and Site Owner Pocket handkerchief.fr, notes an increase in the number of "small niche e-commerce sites". Indeed, it is faster to start a business online with current tools and technologies. "Thanks to the AI, it has become instant to generate product descriptions relevant for search engines and especially for visitors".
Fevad also points out that the average amount of transactions increased by 10.1 % to EUR 68, mainly due to the increase in the average basket in services. Despite the inflationary context, the average amount of product transactions remained relatively stable, leading consumers to make more selective choices in their purchases.
In conclusion, electronic commerce in France continues to grow significantly, mainly supported by the sale of services. Online sales reached record levels in the first quarter of 2023, although product sales grew more moderately. Fevad also underlines the growing importance of travel and leisure in online consumer spending.
