a matter of comfort
Despite a broad pullback in broader markets and the pressures of a polycrisis, electronic commerce is gaining ground in Spain. New analysis from the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) shows that online retailers in the country grew by 30 percent in the first half of the year, reaching 33 billion eight hundred million euros. This momentum persisted even as summer layoff news circulated in the retail sector worldwide, with big names like Amazon, eBay, and Zalando signaling changes. Yet the latest data indicate that this online channel now enjoys more followers than ever in Spain.
The barometer released this week by Adevinta, the Milan-based parent company of several portals, including milan, cars.net, motos.net, photo house, habitat and information jobs, showed that 97 percent of the surveyed sample had purchased or sold a product or service online in the last year. That rate is eleven points below the previous year. In addition, 67 percent of these consumers shop online regularly, which is 15 points higher than the 2021 figure. After surveying 5,000 people in December and comparing the results with activity on the portals, the group concluded that online trading remains a significant factor and emphasized its role in the inflation-adjusted consumer landscape. [Cited from the Adevinta barometer, 2024]
“Consumers saw an opportunity to conduct transactions in e-commerce in a more economical, agile and practical way,” explained Rome Camp, the CEO of Adevinta Spain. “Moreover, the report notes that e-commerce has become an ally to alleviate the effects of inflation on family finances.” [Cited from Adevinta report, 2024]
This perspective aligns with a directive indicating that 80 percent of the survey participants do not want to buy online in the current economic climate, particularly among Generation Z and Generation Y. Meanwhile, 67 percent acknowledge that online shopping is their priority strategy to seek better prices. Indeed, around four-tenths of these consumers attribute their increased online use directly to inflation. [Cited from Adevinta report, 2024]
a matter of comfort
The president of the Retail Commission at the Col·legi d’Economistes de Catalunya, Nuria Beltran, frames the growth in online shopping as a matter of comfort rather than a simple price advantage. “You can find almost anything online, and you don’t have to move,” she notes, drawing on the latest collaborative research. Beltrán suggests that the evolution is natural, offering relief by providing access to more offers and easier price comparisons as more people become digitally savvy. She also links the growth to a past technological hurdle that has been overcome and argues that it makes sense the channel will continue to expand, especially in light of global economic pressures. [Cited from Catalan Economists’ Council, 2024]
Beltrán also connects inflation with the ease of establishing and expanding the sector. She argues that inflation accelerates entry into the market while simultaneously slowing down the purchasing process. Her view highlights a coexistence of rising polarization in consumption patterns and persistent inflation, which she believes is a structural feature rather than a temporary anomaly. [Cited from Catalan Economists’ Council, 2024]
collateral damage
Across the board, Adevinta’s insights point to broader price dynamics affecting the sector. Within the Milan modelsCamp, demand for used goods rose by about 4 percent, with similar signals of renewed interest in used cars on the cars.net platform. The photo house portal noted a widening gap between purchase and lease demand, a consequence of higher mortgage costs and persistent inflationary pressures. Campa, discussing 2022, described a sustained consolidation of electronic commerce under the inflationary context, noting that sustainability criteria have become a dominant factor in product choice and purchase decisions across the online channel. He suggests that environmental awareness will continue to influence buying habits and that the traditional economics of shopping online will remain under pressure from price volatility and evolving consumer values. [Cited from Adevinta/Campa analyses, 2024]
In summary, the overall trend points to a doubling down on digital commerce as households seek practical savings and convenience. The inflationary environment has pushed both buyers and sellers toward faster, more transparent online transactions, while sustainability concerns shape the criteria used to select products and services. As these forces interact, the online marketplace in Spain appears positioned to maintain momentum, even as macroeconomic conditions present ongoing challenges. [Cited from Adevinta analyses, 2024]