Global Online Spend Reshuffles 🌎

Welcome to MarketMaze, where the e-commerce plot twists just keep coming. This week: the world’s top online markets get shaken up, older shoppers take the digital lead, and we dig into the quirks that are shaping the next era of buying. The numbers might surprise you.

Main Story

🌎 Global Online Spend Reshuffles
💎 Friction is the Enemy: What’s Frustrating Shoppers in 2025?

Insights🧠

🍽️ Retail Media Eats Trade Budget
📊 Shopify’s US Grip Tightens
🛒 Who Won Shoppers in EU5 2025

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Online shopping is shuffling fast—some countries are gaining, others losing. The new VML Future Shopper 2025 survey of 25K+ people reveals who’s winning, who’s stalling, and why platforms matter more than ever. The findings use hard numbers, not hype, and show clear shifts in spending and habits.

India’s share of online spend is slipping, falling 6 points to 56%. Meanwhile, France climbs 4 points, catching up to the global mid-pack. KSA and Brazil both notch modest 1–2 point gains. The global market is fragmenting: China leads at 59%, but developed markets like the USA and UK remain steady near 52–54%. South Africa, Germany, and France round out the list at the bottom, with the latter’s jump bucking the general trend. E-commerce isn’t a zero-sum game—leadership keeps changing hands.

Looking ahead to 2030, emerging economies are set to surge. Brazil and KSA are forecast to add 7 points each, reaching 65%, while South Africa leads with an 8-point jump to 56%. China continues steady growth, hitting 63%. In contrast, mature markets see single-digit increases: the US and UK edge up by 4 points, while Germany and France see the smallest projected gains. The message? The next era of online retail will be powered by growth markets, not the usual suspects.

Forget digital natives—it’s older consumers leading the next e-commerce boom. The 55+ segment will grow online share from 51% to 57% in five years, outpacing every other age bracket. Global averages climb as all age groups increase their spend, but growth at the top end is the real story. It’s a wake-up call for brands: ignore “silver surfers” at your peril. The future of online retail is more cross-generational than ever.

When asked where they find best prices, brands, or discovery, shoppers pick marketplaces every time. Marketplaces dominate across every purchase driver—price, access to brands, discovery, and even personalized offers—beating retailers, brands, and social platforms. Retailers lag behind, and social is still a niche channel for deals and offers. For shoppers, one-stop shops are winning out over specialized or social options.

Mobile is now the undisputed king of online shopping, with 56% of consumers preferring it for e-purchases. Laptops hold onto second at 16%, but desktop and tablet use continues to decline. TV, console, smartwatch, and voice/AI assistant channels remain fringe. As the switch accelerates, brands need to design for thumbs, not clicks—because mobile is where the action (and the checkout) happens.

Social commerce is not one-size-fits-all: TikTok and Instagram win among Gen Z and Millennials, but Facebook is the platform of choice for 35+ shoppers. YouTube plays a solid secondary role, and WhatsApp stays niche. For brands chasing growth, this means doubling down on the right platforms by age group—and not assuming social commerce means just one channel.

Sources: 🔒 Available for MarketMaze+ subscribers

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Consumers are done waiting. The Future Shopper 2025 survey of over 25,000 global respondents shows shoppers are running out of patience—whether it’s with clunky interfaces, delayed buying journeys, or feeling left out of the decision loop. The study dives deep into digital pain points, compressed commerce, and who really calls the shots in buying decisions.

Keyboard pain isn’t just an IT joke. The data shows 52% of 25–34 year olds feel frustrated by typing when shopping online, higher than any other age group. The 16–24 segment isn’t far behind at 49%, while frustration eases as age rises—just 27% of those 55+ are bothered. If you want to win the next gen, ditch the keyboard-first design. Voice, chat, and frictionless tech will define the next retail winners.

Patience is dead. Over half of global shoppers want to buy the moment inspiration strikes. The pressure is sharpest in India, South Africa, Brazil, and the UAE, where 68–72% crave instant purchases. Even in the US, China, and the UK, more than half want to skip delays and buy immediately. The brands that cut the time from discovery to checkout will own the future of e-commerce.

Forget TikTok celebrities—family is back on top. Twenty-two percent of consumers say their family shapes what they buy, a bigger share than friends (14%) or even social media (15%). Influencers, streamers, and store staff trail far behind. The era of the friend or influencer as lead taste-maker is fading. If you want to sway wallets, target the family, not just the feed.

Interest in “buying beyond the grave”—pre-arranged gifts, subscriptions, or digital services that activate after you die—is fading, but the numbers remain high, especially in India and the UK. Globally, nearly 1 in 3 say they’d plan purchases posthumously, with emerging markets showing the strongest intent. Even as the idea loses steam, it reveals a future where commerce outlives the consumer and brands must be ready for a world where the purchase journey doesn’t end with life itself.

Sources: 🔒 Available for MarketMaze+ subscribers

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Particular Audience models the money flows from trade promos to retail media. 2025: trade 700B, retail media 170B with 95B reallocated from trade and 75B net new. 2030: retail media 280B as targeted, data-driven buys replace blunt discounts and squeeze trade to 525B. 👉 Particular Audience

BuiltWith’s dataset shows hosted ecommerce is a one-horse race. Shopify holds roughly 80% share, while Shopify Plus climbs as larger brands upgrade and smaller shops churn or switch. The gap between Plus and core widens, signaling an enterprise tilt. 👉 BuiltWith

NielsenIQ’s consumer panel ranks banners adding the most buyers Jan–Aug. Action FR leads with +5.3 pts, while discounters surge, including Lidl DE and IT. Boots UK and chains boosted by acquisitions also rise, reflecting fragmented missions and value hunting. 👉 NielsenIQ

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