According to data published by E-commerce Europe, Spain ranks fourth in online sales, behind others such as the United Kingdom, Germany and France that establish the majority of the market.
In Spain, 7 out of 10 consumers already make purchases over the Internet, which corresponds to 71.2% of Spaniards. Yet out of this percentage only 19% make a weekly purchase, far from figures of the United Kingdom, the undeniable leader in Europe, where 45% of the population makes eCommerce shopping eCommerce. So, from which countries do we buy? More than a third of online purchases made by Spanish consumers are from the Chinese market, which is twice that of Germany.
Revenues from online sales in 2016 meant more than 5,000 million euros for Spain, representing 7% of the Spanish retail trade. These data reflected a 2% increase in comparison to the previous years, according to Statista. According to data from Kantar, at the end of 2018 consumer spending on products of large consumption has grown 11.7% in Spain over the previous year.
Although the countries with the most developed eCommerce, such as France and the United Kingdom, continue to grow, they do so at a slower pace than Spain. So if you are thinking of starting a business in Spain that bases its model on online sales, you are lucky, as the statistics are improving every year.
Next, we would like to present the 15 online stores that sell the most in Spain.
Amazon
Amazon is the undisputed benchmark for online sales worldwide. It is the favourite website for Spaniards to do their shopping, with revenues of 871 million euros in the last financial year. According to the Brand Finance Global 500 report, in 2019 this Seattle-based eCommerce has reached the value of US$187.9 billion and has become the most valuable brand in the world.
On its website you can find the latest news and almost any product you can imagine, from technological gadgets to food products.
El Corte Inglés
In 2018 the online store elcorteingles.es ranked second in Spain, with revenues of $920 million. Despite its late incorporation into electronic commerce, they have managed to engage the Spanish consumer with services such as "Click & Collect" or home delivery in just 48 hours, managing to provide the customer service with which they have been identified over the years. On their website you can find all the products available in their physical establishments, including insurance or tickets for events.
Zara
Amancio Ortega's most acclaimed brand has become the iconic website for Spanish fashionistas and the most valuable brand in Spain. If what you need is to update your wardrobe, but you can't find the time, or it's just more convenient for you to do it from home, Zara online has all the models from its stores, as well as a wide variety of accessories and footwear. Hurry up before they are sold out!
PcComponentes
A store from Murcia that began by specializing in the sale of computer equipment in 2005 has managed to open a niche in the market. And they made it with style. Since its founders, Alfonso Tomás and Francisco Yúfera, decided to open PcComponentes, profits have not stopped increasing until reaching more than 340 million this past year, placing it in the top 5 of eCommerce with the highest sales in Spain.
Vente-privée
Vente-privée was one of the first eCommerce sites to emerge back in 2001, and after 18 years is still on top. Its business model based on flash sales has captivated millions of users, especially in Spain, getting major brands to sell their products through this French website.
Media Markt
Media Markt is the leader in the sales of electronic products, with a turnover of 265 million euros during the past year, if we only take into account the income obtained from its online store, which accounts for almost 50% of the total one. Ever since they decided to focus on eCommerce, this German company has seen its sales grow at a spectacular rate.
Aliexpress
Aliexpress is quickly becoming an online shopping giant. With the advantage of free shipping and its sweeping prices it is gaining the trust of many bargain-craving buyers. On their website you can find practically any product you want, although the most popular ones are gadgets, electronics and clothing.
Apple
We could not forget to put this fetish brand for design lovers and cutting-edge technology on this list. Apple currently has a market share of 13%, with a turnover in Spain of more than 250 million euros in 2018.
Carrefour
The French supermarket chain is the preferred choice for Spaniards when shopping online. Since it opened its website in 2001, many improvements have catapulted it to the top of eCommerce. A good design, accompanied by a wide range of products, have achieved that Carrefour during the past year generated sales of about 355 million dollars.
Zalando
Its large advertising investment and variety of articles and brands have placed Zalando at the top of the stores with highest online sales, with revenues of more than 260 million euros.
Mercadona
Mercadona, the supermarket chain of choice in Spain, has managed to find a niche among the online stores that sell the most in our country. In spite of the many criticisms received for its usability and design, many have decided to make their purchases through its website.
Decathlon
Another French company with a strong presence in Spain is Decathlon, which specialises in the sale of sports equipment. The company's motto is: "We make sport accessible to everyone". Continuing with this goal they have made a great commitment to their online store and thus reach any point in Spain. In 2018 Decathlon generated 62 million dollars through online sales.
Privalia
On their website you can find bargains on clothing and branded accessories, but now have also included among their offers weekend trips and getaways. Since 2016, the Spanish company is part of Vente-Privée, which acquired the modest amount of 500 million euros. Even so, both websites continue to operate separately and Privalia remains at the top of the ranking of eCommerce with higher sales volume.
Asos
The British clothing and accessories store has become a giant with more than 1000 fashion brands and has ended up creating its own brand. Since last year, Asos has been offering free returns, in addition to their previous free deliveries. This is a result of the significant growth in sales in Spain.
Pixmania
The sale of computer products in Spain grows every year, making it the most demanded sector right after fashion. In this online store you will be able to buy any computer-related product at very competitive prices.
Pull and Bear
The largest e-commerce expenditure in Spain is in the fashion and beauty sector. That's why it's worth mentioning the Pull and Bear brand that thanks to its growth in 2018 has become the fifth most popular online store in the fashion segment in Spain, with sales of more than 100 million euros.
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