Growing number of American consumers turn to UK online retailers

Pitney Bowes has released new research highlighting the opportunity for British retailers with young US online shoppers.

Its survey of 1,254 US cross-border online shoppers finds one in four Generation Z consumers and more than one in five Millennials buy from UK online retailers once a month or more.

“Younger US consumers and their love of British brands present a fantastic opportunity for UK-based retailers, but these buyers are cost-conscious and experienced, with high service expectations,” says Georges Berzgal, Senior Vice President International - Pitney Bowes Global E-commerce.

“To win their business, sellers must replicate a best-in-class domestic e-commerce experience across borders, including fully landed costs, reliable delivery time estimates, and accurate tracking.”

The survey also reveals insights into the barriers US shoppers face at checkout when buying from UK brands. Buyers show higher expectations and lower tolerance around the cost of shipping and returns, compared with last summer’s research.

59% abandon their shopping cart because they do not want to pay the costs associated with returning items, up from 50% in 2021.

74% of buyers are held back by high shipping costs – up from 69% last year.

47% abandon their cart if duties are either not calculated or seem inaccurate, up from 44% in 2021.

The results highlight the delivery times that US cross-border consumers find acceptable when buying a product online from a UK e-commerce site.

The majority find seven days acceptable, with 44% saying they would still be happy with ten day delivery. They are less tolerant after the ten day mark, with 63% classifying 11-14 days as slow.

According to Pitney Bowes forecasts, one in every five e-commerce transactions around the world is likely to be cross-border in the next four years, with global cross-border sales expected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2025.

Online retailStaff WriterPitney Bowes, US retail, UK retail, Online retail, E-commerce, British brands, Online delivery, Cross border e-commerceComment