Belgians are increasingly using their smartphones to shop for Christmas presents

• 7 out of 10 Belgians buy their Christmas presents online

• Half of which use their smartphones to shop online

• 1 in 2 say they have been increasing their online shopping habits in general

8 out of 10 Belgians are busy Christmas shopping these days. 72% of them buy presents online. E-commerce has been gaining popularity for years now. A national survey by telecom operator Orange by 1,064 customers has shown that more and more customers do all or more of their Christmas shopping online. The most noticeable trend in purchasing behaviour is the use of smartphones to shop online.

Almost half of the respondents who indicate they shop online, use their mobile phone to buy Christmas gifts. 20% of them claim they will order even more presents by mobile this year. Why? Mainly because they like to shop wherever they like (70%). More than 1 on 2 of the online shoppers use their smartphone to have lots of gift ideas in their pocket and enjoy that easy access to their order status.

Santa Claus shops for perfume, gadgets, toys…

Half of all respondents indicate they shop online because it is quicker to have the products delivered to their home than to go and pick them up in the shop. About a third say they simply hate wandering around overcrowded shops. Half of those asked are also convinced online shopping is cheaper in the end.

What will Santa Claus bring? It seems that people stick to the classics: 1. clothing, 2. perfume and 3. personal care products. Also gadgets and toys appear on various wish lists. 3 out of 4 Belgians expect to spend up to 250 euros on gifts this season, 5% aim to spend at least 500 euros.

“We’re noticing a clear trend that indicates mobile shopping will make a final breakthrough this year. Nearly 1 in 2 customers have used their smartphone to purchase a gift before. 1 in 5 claim they will increasingly do so this holiday season,” says Cristina Zanchi, Chief Consumer Officer at Orange. “Even among those who have never used their mobile device to do their Christmas shopping, 1 in 3 indicate they might do so this year.”