Looking to Ireland
Due to geographical proximity, cultural similarities and a familiarity with UK brands, a large percentage of Irish online shoppers are already buying from UK websites. Add in a shared border, language and timezone, plus strong transport infrastructure, and there’s already much in UK businesses’ favour.
According to our research, Irish shoppers spend on average £75 (€85) per month online. As in the UK, clothes (51% of shoppers) and books (27%) are the two favourite purchases.
However, holidays and travel also feature strongly in their shopping carts, with 25% having bought in these sectors in the three months prior to our study. Irish shoppers are also keen online marketplace users, with 78% having shopped this way. Just as in the UK, eBay (77%) and Amazon (72%) are easily the most popular.
Irish shoppers and UK websites
Online shoppers in Ireland are already spending well on UK websites. The research shows eight in 10 (81%) shoppers in the country bought from a UK website in a three-month period. The average shopper also buys from a UK website at least once a month, spending £51 per month.
The reasons for this use of UK websites are largely based on price and availability:
- 45% said UK websites were cheaper
- 42% said the item was only available in the UK
- 16% said the item was better quality from the UK.
Plus, trust is high among Irish shoppers, with 82% saying they trust items purchased from UK websites to be authentic and not counterfeits.
While the two markets have much in common, there are differences. However, our research suggests, with a few changes to their processes, UK businesses could catch even more of the Irish market.
Go mobile
Ireland’s online shoppers like to buy things with their smartphones and tablets. In fact, three in five of them regularly buy with a mobile device. This is above the UK average, where around two in five regularly shop on smartphones and tablets.
Key steps to increasing sales in the Irish market:
- Optimise websites for mobile
- Invest in mobile advertising
- Prioritise Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Expanding into the Irish online market is a logical first step for British businesses looking to grow their business overseas.
