Online stores have overtaken marketplaces in the proportion of repeat buyers

Customers are twice as likely to return to a particular brand in online stores than on marketplaces. This is evidenced by a joint study by the NAFI analytical center and the Electronic Commerce Union, published on Thursday, August 21.

It turned out that 40% of online sellers who sell their products only through the store's websites note a higher proportion of repeat buyers. At the same time, the figure for companies operating exclusively through marketplaces is 19%. Sellers using both sales channels also report that websites have a higher brand awareness rate - 64% versus 36% for marketplaces. In addition, sites outperform marketplaces in terms of such parameters as lifetime customer value (LTV; 63% vs. 37%), consumer loyalty index (NPS; 62% vs. 38%), repeat purchase rate (54% vs. 46%) and average annual revenue from a customer (53% vs. 47%).

Business representatives who participated in the study note that they choose the website as their main sales channel in order to attract new customers (58%), gain access to a wide audience (52%) and better satisfy customer requests (40%). Among the advantages of online shopping sites, the authors of the study also cite the opportunity to strengthen audience trust (39%) and better communicate brand values (36%).

At the same time, the strengths of marketplaces include customer trust (41%), traffic (40%), quick launch of sales (37%) and solving logistical issues (31%).

71% of e-commerce representatives called the combination of sales on the website and on marketplaces optimal.

"The rapid development of e-commerce is due not only to the popularity of large marketplaces, but also to the significant share of independent online stores. We are not talking about contrasting marketplaces and online stores - we are talking about their harmonious coexistence and diversification of sales channels. Each format has pros and cons depending on the entrepreneur's goals. Success will be on the side of those who diversify their sales channels by opening their own online stores to strengthen audience trust and broadcast brand values," said Georgy Bagiryan, Director of the Electronic Commerce Union and member of the Public Council at the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia, commenting on the results of the study.