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Around €20.7bn. That is the amount the four Nordic countries – Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark – spent online in 2019. They experienced a threefold increase in online shopping from 2008 to 2019, according to the PostNord report “Netthandel i Norden”. Sweden has the highest share, with 70 percent of the population now shopping online in an average month. However, Norway and Denmark follow closely, with a share of 67 and 62 percent respectively of consumers shopping online, while in Finland the number is a more modest 50 percent.
E-commerce in the Nordic countries 
Clothing and shoes are a hit
There is one point of similarity across all of the Nordic countries: clothing and shoes are the items which are most purchased online, with between 36 and 38 percent of consumers buying these products through online channels. Items such as beauty and health products, along with home electronics and media products, are also high on the list. In Denmark, 26 percent of consumers shop for home electronics, while in Finland 24 percent purchase media products, such as e-books.
Criteria for choosing a webshop
There are many different criteria for choosing a webshop to buy from – and this is where the four Nordic countries are different. 97 percent of Danish consumers say that it’s highly important that it’s clear how the order will be delivered, while 92 percent find it important to be able to choose where the order will be delivered to. In Norway, the comparable figure is only 75 percent. However, all four countries put free shipping and free return high on the list; between 70 and 80 percent of all Nordic consumers agree on this.
Delivery: Sustainability is trending
When it comes to delivery, there are, once again, differences in opinion among Nordic consumers. Sustainability (a sustainable home delivery within four to five business days) takes first place as the most important delivery option in Sweden (29 percent) and Norway (25 percent). In Finland, the number is only 14 percent, while in Denmark 17 percent regard this sustainable delivery as the most important option. Here, flexible delivery (delivery to a parcel shop within two to three business days) is highest on the list, with 37 percent in Denmark and 52 percent in Finland. In Norway, this delivery method is at the bottom of the list of priorities, with only 16 percent, while the figure is 19 percent in Sweden.
How the consumers prefer the delivery 
With a free Shipmondo account you can offer your customers a variety of delivery options. You can use our shipping agreements, or we can activate your own shipping agreements. Send us an email at support@shipmondo.com and let’s talk about your options.
Many returns
There can be many reasons for an online consumer to return an item. Maybe the product is not the right size, it might not live up to customer expectations, or it might be a simple case of a change of opinion. No matter what the cause, the four Nordic countries are once again similar, with 12 percent of Swedish and Danish consumers returning an item at least once a month, while the number is 14 percent for Norwegian and Finnish consumers. It’s therefore important, as a company, to have a good return policy and procedure. An easy way of managing return shipments is to have a Return Portal where your customers can print a return note and label for themselves.
The figures in this post come from PostNord’s summary report from 2019, which you can find here.
