These two markets seem to be the most challenging worldwide. Therefore, if you have been successful in the States and in Britain, you are likely to have a proficient team with an almost perfect product. Then, market expansion is the next step to boost sales. With the blossom of e-commerce, it’s also getting way easier to target consumers on the other side of the globe.
In our Market Insights series, we will examine and analyze some potential markets for retail businesses, especially Shopify merchants in the US/UK, to expand to. Today, we keep the focus on online shopping in Germany - the�No.3�country for e-commerce revenue in Europe - and German consumer behaviors. We will also present the pros and cons of expansion into Germany and suggest some next steps. Let's jump right in!
To see if Germany is a potential market for your business, you need to look at the market size and the future scenario.
Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Germany was in the�5th�position for e-commerce in the world with a total revenue of�€72.6 billion. The hit of the global pandemic with “stay-at-home" orders has pushed online shopping in Germany even further. In 2020, e-commerce in Germany was worth�€83.3 billion, surpassing the average growth rate of�11.3%�in the past 3 years by 3%. The significant YOY increase is predicted to be prolonged and amplified to more than�€141 billion�in 2024. �Those impressive statistics in recent years make Germany a strong and major player in the European eCommerce industry alongside the UK and France. E-commerce growth in Germany has more potential than in France with the backup of a sufficient logistics system, which will be discussed later.
Although German consumers prefer brick-and-mortar stores to online marketplaces, online shopping gradually becomes their habit as a result of COVID-19. Nearly�80%�of internet users purchase things online and up to�30%�of them do it on a weekly basis.
Although vaccination programs are on the right track, and Germany and Europe are preparing for a new normal post-pandemic, shopping habits established during the lockdown will not be washed away. The digital stickiness of German consumers is prominent. Research by McKinsey shows that up to�91%�of respondents continue to purchase online post-COVID-19.
With such promising numbers in e-commerce sales and online shopping customers, Germany should be on the priority list to consider for market expansion.
Remarkable e-commerce trends help you understand the orientation of the market, so you can decide if it aligns with your business goals.
There is nothing new about the domination of smartphones and tablets in global online shopping. Likewise, mobile sales in Germany are growing more quickly than overall digital sales. Mobile apps and mobile payments were the�top categories�for German retailers' investment in 2019. They also brought the highest ROI of 12% and 13% respectively. As�86%�of German citizens stated they are most likely to shop online from the couch, mobile commerce will continue to contribute a significant part to the overall e-commerce revenue.
Although many customers are against online advertising, it seems to be effective to the German.�One-third�of e-shoppers here have purchased directly through an advertising post at least once while�26.7%�have at least made a click on it.
Key opinion leaders (KOL) and micro-influencers are also popular in Germany. Around�20%�of online consumers here buy the advertised product directly from an influencer's product post that they visit. Another�20%, despite not making the instant purchase, later buy the featured item either online or offline.
Global consumers are more and more aware of the anthropogenic climate change caused by their consumption. That's why a minimal lifestyle that encourages “reduce, reuse, and recycle” is trending. German consumers are not excluded from that trend. More about online shopping in Germany.�
To improve your site performance as well as to not waste shoppers’ time with your e-store, using filters is the most basic way to provide this on any site. In today’s article, we will talk about faceted search - a method that creates a user-friendly interface for any product discovery. �
Faceted search or facet navigation provides customers a smart and logical interface so they can understand what is available. In other words, this structure helps consumers refine search results to get their desired products easily by selecting the facet options. �However, people sometimes interchange the two terms ‘faceted search’ and ‘filters’. Similarly, both of them analyze a large set of content and help exclude any items that do not match the criteria. The important difference here is that faceted search provides multiple filters at the same time, and each filter represents one aspect of the content.�
Filters are a good starting point to get around your store, but facets will enable shoppers to get closer to their preferred choices. Let's see how faceted navigation improves your website.
A study indicated that�27%�of shopping session failures are results of not being able to find the right products on the site, which means business owners lose one-third of potential sales. Take a look at the key advantages that this method could help your site with.�
With faceted search, customers do not have to scroll through catalog pages and look at never-ending product lists just to find a desirable one. Hence, your site navigation becomes considerably more convenient.�
Related:�6 Ways to Build Best Web Navigation and Site Search 2021
Faceted navigation offers shoppers a chance to play with filters smartly. It uses the metadata of your products - for example, product type, SKU, title, and tags, so customers can easily find what they need with a few clicks. Let's say you would love to buy some men's shoes. You stumble upon ShopSM and type in the keyword ‘shoes’ in the search box. Over 2,600 results for shoes show up - which is overwhelming. Luckily, you spot that you can drill down your results with the various facets on the left. Instead of browsing through thousands of shoes, you now easily find out your favorite ones based on vendors, colors, and prices.� �
The goal of faceted navigation is to improve the shopping experience by allowing shoppers to locate their preferred products within milliseconds. Consumers can know exactly where they end up with their selected filter options. Therefore, e-merchants can maximize the chances of conversions and speed up customers' buying decisions. Here are 4 key tactics for you to make the most of faceted search.�
Most facets are placed as filters, and some of them are more widely used than others. According to�Baymard, the top 5 essential filter types that should be available on most eCommerce stores are:
80%�of online customers try to filter product lists by price. They usually have an idea of a suitable budget for their purchases. Whether customers apply a Price filter first or after tailoring the product list with other filters, most will only want to consider affordable items. �
Many shoppers are brand conscious, and they tend to seek out well-known names when drowning in products that they have never experienced, especially in the cosmetics and apparel industry. For single-brand sites, on the other hand, a brand filter might be irrelevant. In this case, you should consider adding a sub-brand filter that allows shoppers to filter by product types or any distinctive product features. �
In a recent study,�45%�of participants said that users' reviews and ratings are one of the primary reasons for online shopping. Surprisingly,�53%�of online stores do not let customers filter product lists by ratings.�
In fact, many consumers do not feel comfortable making assessments by themselves, so they rely on ratings as a surrogate for excellent quality or value for money. As a result, when they are unsure which products are appropriate, they want to use other customers’ ratings to filter out bad products. �
Size is an important attribute for many industries as customers can quickly exclude unsuitable items to focus on variants that match their demands. For some product types, size filters might be replaced by filters for different dimensions, such as width and height. These filters would be especially common where the products have to fit into a specific space, such as kitchen appliances. �
Needless to say, color seems to be the most popular product variation. Countless customers, of course, have strong preferences for certain colors, and would never consider goods in other shades.�
Without a color filter, getting a product in the colors that a customer is interested in purchasing would be impossible, and the lists would be cluttered with items in unwanted shades. �
Allowing customers to select several filter option values at once is a smart idea as they can save tons of time re-loading the browser and website. For instance, someone might be searching for clothing in various colors but only want to see items in a specific size. This functionality helps online shoppers generate a tailored catalog based on their unique criteria. Therefore, they can browse the most relevant clothes available and choose from a few final options (rather than thousands), which significantly improves the consumer experience. �
Did you know that�46%�of eCommerce stores do not offer thematic filters?
These are filters that bring together a variety of products that would be unrelated. ‘Seasonal specials’, "best value," and "casual style" are just a few examples of filters that might contain products from all categories with a variety of unique qualities. For more useful tips, check out our article about faceted search.�
Mild steel plays a crucial role in modern infrastructure development, owing to its versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness. With the growing demand for reliable and sustainable construction materials, mild steel has emerged as a go-to option for builders and engineers. From towering skyscrapers to bridges, railways, and industrial structures, mild steel’s impact is evident across various sectors of infrastructure.
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Key Properties of Mild Steel
Mild steel, also known as low-carbon steel, typically contains less than 0.3% carbon, which gives it unique properties. It is both malleable and ductile, making it easy to shape, weld, and work with during construction. Its strength, combined with flexibility, makes it an ideal material for a wide range of structural applications. Moreover, mild steel is highly resistant to cracking under pressure, which is essential for ensuring long-term stability in infrastructure projects.
Another critical advantage of mild steel is its recyclability. Steel is one of the most recycled materials globally, and mild steel can be repurposed without losing its structural integrity. This makes it a sustainable option, contributing to eco-friendly construction practices.
Applications in Infrastructure
Skyscrapers and Buildings In modern cities, skyscrapers and large commercial buildings rely heavily on steel frameworks. Mild steel’s strength-to-weight ratio allows for the construction of tall buildings without compromising stability. Its ability to withstand heavy loads and adapt to dynamic forces like wind and seismic activity makes it an indispensable material in urban architecture.
Bridges:�
Mild steel has been the material of choice for bridge construction for over a century. Its strength and flexibility help bridges endure heavy traffic loads, environmental stress, and vibrations. Additionally, steel bridges can be prefabricated and transported to the site, reducing construction time and labor costs.
Railways:
Rail infrastructure relies on mild steel for tracks, frames, and other structural components. The durability of ms flats ensures that railway tracks can withstand the wear and tear of high-speed trains and harsh weather conditions over long periods. Its flexibility also allows for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, maintaining the safety and reliability of rail systems.
Industrial Structures:
�Factories, warehouses, and other industrial buildings depend on mild steel for constructing durable and cost-effective frameworks. The material’s ability to support heavy equipment and resist corrosion in varying environments makes it ideal for industrial applications.
Advantages of Mild Steel in Infrastructure
Ms Plates is not only strong and flexible but also cost-effective, making it an attractive choice for large-scale infrastructure projects. Its affordability allows governments and private developers to allocate resources efficiently, leading to faster project completion and better allocation of funds.
Moreover, mild steel’s recyclability supports the sustainability goals of modern infrastructure development. Recycling steel reduces the demand for raw materials and decreases the carbon footprint of construction projects, helping to meet environmental regulations and standards.
Conclusion
The role of mild steel in modern infrastructure development cannot be overstated. Its properties—strength, flexibility, durability, and cost-effectiveness—make it a cornerstone of modern construction projects. From skyscrapers and bridges to railways and industrial facilities, mild steel continues to shape the world’s growing infrastructure, ensuring that cities and industries evolve efficiently, safely, and sustainably.
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