Europeans Inspired to Get Active During 2024 Summer of Sports, Reveals AliExpress Consumer Insights Report

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Jul 25, 2024, 03:00 ET

Europeans are discovering new sports and pastimes thanks to online shopping
161 million^[i] purchases of sports-related products made on AliExpress since 2019
AliExpress to launch #FindYourSport pop-up in Paris during the Olympic Games Paris 2024

LONDON, July 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AliExpress, an international online retail marketplace and Worldwide Olympic TOP Partner of the Olympic Games for e-commerce platform services, today launched its Summer Consumer Insights Report focused on exploring the online shopping landscape and consumer behaviours across Europe.

The Report, which surveyed consumers from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK^[ii] during this European summer of sports, reveals the far-reaching positive impact of sports, from improved mental wellbeing to feelings of inclusion and greater connectivity. It also illustrates the role of online shopping in enabling consumers to discover and take part in new sports.

Summer of sports inspires consumers

The Report reveals that 60% of consumers were able to try a sports and fitness-related activity thanks to online shopping, while 46% agreed that online shopping has made sports more accessible.

The summer of sports has inspired people to get involved in new sports including: football, running, hiking, swimming, basketball, tennis, athletics, cycling, boxing and gymnastics. 55% of those surveyed acknowledged that they feel more connected to their country during a global sporting tournament such as the Olympic Games.

Since 2019, AliExpress has seen more than 161 million purchases of sports-related goods, enabling consumers from around the world to actively engage in sports^[iii]. The respondents of the survey stated that, thanks to online shopping, they have been able to try new sports such as badminton, BMXing, breakdancing, horse riding and skateboarding.

Positive impact of sports

The research also highlights the positive impact of sports, beyond physical benefits. 69% said that taking part in sports gave them a sense of community and 68% recognised that sports has allowed them to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. A staggering 84% agreed that taking part in sports has improved their mental wellbeing^[iv].

Looking ahead to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, AliExpress will welcome people from around the world to its showcase event on 8 August on the Av. des Champs-Élysées, Paris. Open to the general public from 11.30 until 14:30 CEST, the showcase, themed #FindYourSport, will allow visitors to experience a series of Olympic sports-related activities and stand a chance to win prizes.

Gary Topp, AliExpress European Commercial Director, said, "We are delighted to see the AliExpress Consumer Insights Report highlighting the far-reaching impact of sports and its power to inspire and bring people together. I am encouraged to see the role that e-commerce platforms can play in making sports more accessible, enabling people to discover and take part in new sports, by giving access to a vast selection of products to get them moving."

Sports and entertainment among top shopping categories

The research shows that sports and entertainment-related products were among the top five categories across the five European markets in terms of consumer spending online:

Grocery and beverages
Clothing, underwear, sleepwear and shoes
Phones and telecommunications
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
Sports and entertainment

On average, consumers across the five European markets spent €78 on sports and entertainment-related products during the three-month period covered by the research. In France, for the same period, the average spending was significantly higher, totalling €94. This is followed by the Italians, who each spent €82, and the Spanish, who each spent €73, followed closely by German consumers, who each spent €71, and British consumers, who each spent £60 (approximately €70).

Online spending remains robust

According to the Report, overall online spending was holding up, with an average spend of £623 (approximately €739) in the UK and €622 across the other four European markets during the three-month period covered by the research. In terms of purchase frequency, over the three-month period, consumers across the five markets each bought nine items on average.

On average, respondents across all markets spent nearly five hours per week browsing and researching products online. The age group that spent the most time online are those aged 35-44.

Spanish consumers spent the most time browsing and researching online, followed by the British consumers, then Italian. French consumers spent the least amount of time each week.

Online marketplaces take top spot

The research shows that the top five online shopping channels across all markets were:

Online marketplaces
Retailers' websites
Retailers' mobile apps
Second-hand products platforms
Social media shops

Online marketplaces were the most popular online shopping channel, with 63% of consumers having shopped via this channel, surpassing the numbers of those who had shopped via retailers' websites and retailers' mobile apps.

Although livestreaming did not make the top five, it ranked sixth and the research shows it is the most popular online shopping channel among those aged 18-24. 13% of whom stated they liked to shop this way—compared to just 3% of those aged 55 or above. 18-24-year-olds were also most likely to shop via social media shops when compared to other age groups.

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Notes to editors:

*All £ currency relates to British consumers consumption online and all € currency relates to French, German, Italian and Spanish consumers consumption online.

About AliExpress

Launched in 2010, AliExpress is a business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce platform enabling global consumers to buy directly from manufacturers in China and around the world. In addition to the global English-language version, the AliExpress platform is also available in 15 other languages. AliExpress is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.

About the AliExpress Consumer Insights Report

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 9,524 respondents aged over 18 across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. The data was collected between 28 June 2024 and 3 July 2024. The respondents were asked about their spending for the previous three months (March, April and May).

Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

[i] The data was collected from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023.

[ii] The data was collected between 28 June 2024 and 3 July 2024. The respondents were asked about their spending for the previous three months (March, April and May).

[iii] The data was collected from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2023.

[iv] Respondents who currently participate in more than one sport.

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