What opportunities does the French market offer? A short guide for sellers on amazon.fr

France is one of the top three European countries with the highest percentage of online shoppers. In 2022, it ranked third behind the United Kingdom and Germany. For sellers, this indicates a significant potential in this market. If you are not yet selling on amazon.fr, it's worth considering entering this marketplace. Don't know the language or local regulations? That's no problem for a specialized Amazon agency, which can support you at every stage of registration, sales, and customer service. Check what opportunities you can take advantage of by starting to sell on Amazon in France. We have prepared a brief overview of this foreign market in the form of a guide for manufacturers and distributors interested in conquering it.

How is the French e-commerce market developing?
France reached a maximum internet penetration rate of 89% already in 2020, and by mid-2022, it had risen to 92.2%. According to data from January 2022, the French spent an average of 5.5 hours online each day, including 2 hours and 20 minutes on mobile devices. 50.7% of the country's residents shop online every week, and on average, one in five of them orders products over the internet on their phones. By the middle of last year, France held the fifth position in Europe in terms of the number of internet users.

Fig. 1 List of the 10 European countries with the highest number of internet users (as of 31.07.2022)
Source: https://www.internetworldstats.com/stats4.htm

In 2021, the total amount of e-commerce orders reached 129 billion euros. Compared to 2020, this represents a growth of 15.1%, and a 24.9% increase compared to 2019.

Fig. 2 Growth in e-commerce sales value in France from 2019 to 2021
Source: https://www.fevad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FEVAD_CHIFFRES-CLES_2022_engVFF.pdf

What position does Amazon.fr hold in French e-commerce?
The American sales platform ranks first among all e-commerce sites in France. 58.3% of the French shop on Amazon, while its main competitor, Leboncoin, accounts for 42.6%. The following positions in the ranking are held by:

• Cdiscount – 36.3%

• Fnac – 30.3%

• Vinted – 27.3%

Fig. 3 Amazon's share in online sales in the French market
Source: https://www.fevad.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/FEVAD_CHIFFRES-CLES_2022_engVFF.pdf

The data shows that buying second-hand items is becoming increasingly common in this country. Two of these platforms operate in the “second-hand” sector, and 80% of French online shoppers admit to having sold or purchased second-hand items. Amazon is following this trend. For some time now, it has been offering Refurbished & Used items in the United States, which can be bought at bargain prices. They are thoroughly tested, and buyers receive a 90-day warranty. The offers mainly involve attractive electronic equipment: smartphones, household appliances, computers, and smartwatches.

Top 5 most popular categories in French e-commerce
Similar to other European markets, in France, the leading product categories sold online are:

• Fashion/Clothing

• Art items

• Games/Toys

• Shoes

• Hygiene/Beauty

Fig. 4 Most popular product categories in online sales in France

Characteristics of the French consumer
For French consumers, local production is of great importance. As many as 77% of them choose products manufactured in France or Europe. A similar number of respondents consider CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) as an important factor influencing their purchasing decisions, meaning the impact of a company's activities on its social, economic, and political environment.

The most important features that encourage them to purchase a product include:

• Compliance with social standards by the company – 58%

• No negative impact on the environment – 52%

• Local production in Europe – 50%

• French production – 47%

What does this mean for Amazon sellers? If you have production facilities within the EU, be sure to highlight this fact in your product description. Remember that half of the customers will be looking for information about the origin, so this can give you a competitive edge.

Opportunities and risks in French e-commerce in 2023
On Amazon, the French market is the third largest marketplace, therefore many sellers choose to enter it immediately or after they have already developed sales on amazon.de and amazon.co.uk. However, when preparing offers for France, it is important to take into account several key details:

• Emphasize the European origin of the product

• Highlight that the production does not have a harmful impact on the natural environment

• Adapt product pages for mobile devices

• Consider voice search when creating content (about 14% of the French use this option)

If you have physical sales locations or partner retail outlets in France, activate the “Click & collect” option, which is being used by more and more residents of the country along the Seine.

Do you want to explore the growth opportunities for your business on Amazon? Contact us! We will help you start selling in every market supported by this platform.

Happy Selling!
Amata Borys-Chudek
Go2Market Crew