Amazon Shopper Report 2023: Key Insights

The result is our second “Amazon Shopper Report,” featuring fascinating comparisons with the findings from our similarly structured study in the previous year. 

The survey results demonstrate the strong dominance of the e-commerce giant in the UK and international online trade. However, they also highlight the increasing significance of other key players in this space!

We’re excited to share the key insights from our report, which are summarised below.

Amazon’s Recognition

Amazon stands out as the dominant online marketplace in the UK, with 94% of British shoppers saying they have made at least one purchase on the platform.

The most significant competition comes in the form of eBay and Argos: 77% of surveyed Brits have ordered from eBay, while 74% have purchased something from Argos. The proportion of respondents who have used various other online marketplaces has increased compared to 2022*, underscoring the growing relevance of these platforms.

In the other surveyed countries, Amazon is also highly popular. Italy takes the lead, with 97% of respondents having made a purchase on the online marketplace before. Germany is right alongside the UK in terms of usage rate, at 94%.

(Almost) Everyone Loves Amazon

A positive image of the American e-commerce giant is held by 90% surveyed in the UK. Among them, 27% of participants are genuine Amazon enthusiasts who rate the company as being “very positive”, this has decreased somewhat from 34% in 2022*. However, only one in ten Britons perceive Amazon as being “rather negative.”

In an international comparison, Amazon is most beloved by the Spanish and Italians: 96% of Spanish and 95% of Italian respondents rate Amazon as “rather” to “very positive”. Of all the countries we surveyed, the French were the most critical, with 89%.

More Important Than Google

In the UK, Amazon has also become even more crucial as a product search engine. 79% of Amazon shoppers (compared to 63% last year*) say they initiate their product searches for all categories on Amazon rather than on Google or other online search engines.

The more often British shoppers are ordering from Amazon, the more likely the platform becomes their go-to site for finding products. Among weekly Amazon shoppers, a whopping 92% initiate their product searches on Amazon.

Amazon as a Comparison Portal

Britons are increasingly using Amazon as a product and price comparison portal. Four out of five Amazon customers visit the platform even when they have no specific intention to purchase something.

Most indicate that they are primarily using the site to compare prices and get an overview of products. Nearly half of the respondents say they regularly find inspiration by using Amazon and its product reviews. Only 22% visit Amazon exclusively with a specific purchasing intention.

Majority Would Purchase Sponsored Products

British Amazon customers have a positive attitude towards buying sponsored products. 68% say they have become accustomed to sponsored products on the platform and would purchase an advertised product, compared to only 8.3% who were a definite “no”.

Compared to 2022 at least, British Amazon shoppers now have a far more positive attitude towards Sponsored Ads*. Just over half (57%) indicated in 2022 that they would buy sponsored products, but a rise of 11% this year indicates attitudes may fast be changing.

Amazon Shoppers Save Through Offers & Discounts

Due to the economic situation, 91% of Brits suggest they are now paying more attention to their budget compared to last year when shopping online. Almost all participants said currently mindful of how much money they spend online, regardless of whether they shop on Amazon or not. 

As a result, the majority of Amazon shoppers (63%) specifically utilise more offers and discounts, while a much smaller number of online shoppers (35%) simply plan to reduce their online shopping altogether.  A future upsurge in spending doesn’t appear likely any time soon in the UK: 51% of British Amazon shoppers said they planned to spend the same amount of money on online shopping in the second half of 2023 as in the same period last year*. 37% want to reduce their spending compared to last year, whilst only 11% said they wanted to spend more. 

*Collected in 2022 in a very similar study.

Interested in more insights from our 2023 Amazon Analysis?