Analysis of consumer characteristics and shopping preferences of Colombian cross-border e-commerce

1. Online shopping habits of Colombian Internet users

According to data from the Colombian E-commerce Chamber, 76% of Colombian Internet users have made at least one online shopping experience. Among them, the most popular product categories include clothing, electronic products and food; while online services such as travel, activities and telecommunications services also attract attention.

2. Equipment selection: computers are still the mainstream

Although mobile e-commerce is rising rapidly around the world, in Colombia, consumers still prefer to use computers for online shopping. Specifically, at different times of the day, the peak of computer shopping occurs around 11 a.m., while consumers shopping via smartphones are more likely to place orders between 8 and 10 p.m.

However, the device usage habits of Colombian consumers have also changed in recent years: the proportion of laptops used for shopping fell from 97% to 94%, while the figure for mobile phones increased from 30% to 49%, compared with At the same time, tablet usage dropped from 32% to 26%. This shows that although more and more people browse product information on their mobile phones, they often end up choosing to complete the payment process on their computers.

3. Gender and age distribution

Data analysis shows that Colombian women are significantly more active in online shopping than men, with the former contributing 61% of all online transactions and the latter only 39%. In terms of age groups, consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 constitute the main force of online shopping, accounting for 62%; the group of 35 to 44 years old follows closely, accounting for 19%; and the consumer group of 45 to 54 years old account for only 10% of the total number of online shoppers.

4. Seasonal consumption patterns

November to December every year is considered the peak shopping period for Colombian consumers. During this period, online shopping orders account for 36% of the total annual volume. In contrast, September to October are relatively quiet months. Judging from the average monthly consumption, March, April and November were at a relatively high level, while the rest of the time was relatively stable. During this period, clothing, travel-related services, children’s products, food and books became the most popular online shopping categories.

5. Pet economy: a growth point that cannot be ignored

It is worth noting that Colombia’s domestic pet market has shown strong growth momentum. According to statistics, there are more than 5 million pets in the country, of which dogs are the most popular choice, accounting for 69%, followed by cats (21%). About 72% of households own at least one pet, and 68% of pet owners buy food for their pets every month, spending between 57,000 and 170,000 pesos. Supermarkets are still the main channel for purchasing pet products, but many people also choose specialty stores or online shopping malls.

To sum up, for cross-border sellers who want to enter the Colombian market, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of the shopping habits and preferences of local consumers. This not only helps in developing effective marketing strategies but also better meets the needs of your target customer base.