Nosto research: more than half of online shoppers now buy cross-border, but many have concerns

52% of US and UK online shoppers have purchased at least one product from an e-commerce store in another country in the last 12 months, with the desire for lower prices being the most popular trigger.

That’s according to a survey of 2,000 shoppers commissioned by Nosto.

At the same time, however, 92% admit to concerns about shopping cross-border, with e-commerce returns problems (50%) and fears over products being poor quality (47%) or fake (46%) among the top worries.

41% of those who have purchased or considered buying items from abroad in the last year said it was to get lower prices versus 16% who were seeking better quality products. 

For 23% it was because they’d seen particular products on social media. For Generation Z (16-24-year-olds) social media mentions were the number one trigger.

However, 60% of consumers trust international e-commerce stores less than those at home. Even when they see products they like, a number of factors will deter them from making cross-border purchases.

Number one is products being priced suspiciously low (44%), followed by a lack of clear information about additional cross-border fees/charges (41%), returns/refund policies (41%) and no clear details about delivery times to the shopper’s country (39%). 

Localised social proof is key to generating trust for cross-border purchases according to the findings. 64% of consumers are likely to trust brands more if they see positive onsite reviews from other customers in their country and 55% if they see onsite product photos (user-generated content) from peers in their home country who’ve made purchases.

On-site localisation is also important for building trust - including retailers being able to automatically show prices in the shopper’s home currency (mentioned by 64% of respondents) and recommending relevant products based on the shoppers’ location (40%). 

“We’re seeing increasing interest from merchants looking to sell cross-border into many markets around the world - and while this research suggests that many consumers are open to it, a lack of trust remains a significant barrier,” says Matthäus Bognar General Manager EMEA & APAC at Nosto.

“If you’re a retailer trying to sell into an international market, you must provide absolute clarity about all aspects of the purchase, delivery and returns process – including detailing any additional fees and local taxes - as well as providing strong localised social proof.”

“This includes displaying user-generated content like reviews and product photos from customers in the shopper’s own country - a powerful signal of trust. Delivering a familiar online experience is also crucial, ensuring currencies, delivery times and product recommendations are based on the shopper’s location.”