• On average, 312 euros are spent – around 11 per cent more than last year
• Online shops from China polarise opinion: half avoid them, the other half have already ordered from them
• Four out of ten young people would send AI shopping on its own

When Black Friday and the subsequent Cyber Week mark the peak of the discount battle in the retail sector, millions of people in the UK go bargain hunting. Many want to spend even more than last year. Around half (52 per cent) want to take advantage of the reduced prices, most of them online. Two-thirds (69 per cent) will look for offers exclusively on the internet, 26 per cent both online and in brick-and-mortar shops, and only 4 per cent exclusively in local shops. The majority (61 per cent, 2024: 53 per cent) also already have a clear idea of how much they want to spend: €312 on average, which is around 11 per cent more than in 2024, when the average was €280. Men are planning to spend more this year (€363) than women (€251). These are the results of a representative survey of 1,120 internet users aged 16 and over in Germany commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. ‘Hardly any retailer can afford to ignore Black Friday and the subsequent Cyber Week,’ says Bitkom CEO Dr Bernhard Rohleder.

Most of those who want to shop on Black Friday or during Cyber Week say they plan their purchases in advance. When asked about their shopping behaviour (multiple answers possible), 45 per cent see themselves as ‘wish fulfilers’: they treat themselves to things they have wanted for a long time but do not want to buy at full price. Just as many (45 per cent) are ‘head buyers’ who specifically purchase everyday items or make larger purchases when they are on offer. In contrast, only 28 per cent say they are ‘impulse buyers’ who are tempted to make spontaneous purchases while window shopping online. And 22 percent describe themselves as classic ‘bargain hunters’ who actively search for the best deal, regardless of what they actually need. 33 percent use discount offers primarily to buy gifts for family and friends. ‘People use discount promotions in a targeted manner, but often allow themselves to be tempted into spontaneous purchases by good offers,’ says Rohleder. ‘However, if you come across an unplanned bargain, it’s a good idea to compare prices again – online, an overview is just a few clicks away.’

Practically everyone shops online

But even without discount promotions, online shopping is part of everyday life for almost everyone. 96 per cent of internet users have bought something online in the past twelve months, 3 per cent did so longer ago and only 1 per cent have never done so. A good third (36 per cent) shop online at least once a week, 3 per cent even several times a day, 5 per cent daily. 13 per cent several times a week and 15 per cent once a week. 37 per cent shop online several times a month. Another 27 per cent shop online, but less frequently. The smartphone remains the number one device for online shopping: 73 per cent use it, followed by notebooks (52 per cent), desktop PCs (31 per cent) and tablets (27 per cent). “Mobile shopping is the standard. Retailers who want to offer online shopping should ensure that their products are well presented on smartphones,” says Rohleder.

Online shoppers most frequently buy fashion and accessories, with 68 per cent having ordered such products online in the past twelve months. This is followed at a considerable distance by books, media and software (50 per cent), beauty and health products (48 per cent) and electronics and computers (47 per cent). Vouchers and gifts were purchased online by 42 per cent, furniture and home accessories by 40 per cent, and toys and leisure products by 39 per cent. One third (33 per cent) purchased household appliances, and 31 per cent shop for food and beverages online.

Platforms dominate online retail. 92 per cent frequently shop on online platforms. Leading the way are large online marketplaces such as Amazon, Zalando and Otto, where 85 per cent shop frequently. Platforms for used items such as eBay, Vinted and Rebuy are used by 36 per cent, 21 per cent buy via comparison portals such as Check24 or Verivox, 9 per cent via alternative platforms such as Etsy and 7 per cent via social networks such as Instagram or Facebook. In addition to these platforms, 40 per cent frequently use the online shops of major retailers such as Lidl, H&M and Tchibo, 36 per cent buy from manufacturers’ online shops, and 23 per cent frequently shop on international low-cost marketplaces such as Temu and Shein.

Payment options and shipping are more important than just a low price

When choosing an online shop, three things are particularly important to customers: payment options (54 per cent), shipping and delivery (53 per cent), and security and trust (51 per cent). Only then do price and discounts (47 per cent), customer service (45 per cent) and a large product selection (43 per cent) follow. The usability of the online shop and the presentation of the products are very important to 42 per cent. Regionality (23 per cent), sustainability (16 per cent) and recommendations and community functions (9 per cent) follow at a considerable distance. “In online retail, price is by no means the only deciding factor. When in doubt, many customers opt for the provider that offers them a suitable payment option or the right shipping partner,” says Rohleder.

Retailers enjoy a high level of trust overall. 62 percent of online shoppers trust retailers not to misuse their data, and 56 percent are willing to provide their data in exchange for discounts. At the same time, 52 percent say that they have already provided their data so often that doing so again makes no difference. Only 27 percent exclusively use functions that do not require them to create an account. And around a quarter (23 percent) are afraid that the price will increase for them personally if companies know too much about them.

Temu, Shein & Co. divide online shoppers

However, despite their fundamental trust, around two-thirds (63 per cent) avoid online shops from certain countries, while 30 per cent do not care about the country of origin. Offers from China are avoided most frequently (47 per cent), followed by other Asian countries such as India (39 per cent), Taiwan (35 per cent) and South Korea (28 per cent). Online shops based in the USA are avoided by 28 per cent, Japan by 23 per cent and the UK by 17 per cent.

At the same time, shopping on cheap platforms in China such as Temu or Shein is widespread. 51 per cent of internet users have already made at least one purchase there. This means that the proportion has only risen slightly compared to the previous year (47 per cent). 10 per cent have looked at the shops but not bought anything there, while 4 per cent can imagine making a purchase in the future. One third (33 per cent) rule out visiting or buying there altogether.

Cheap shopping out of curiosity – and with a guilty conscience

The main reasons for shopping at cheap Chinese shops are price and curiosity. 84 per cent of those who have ordered from them before say that the products were much cheaper than at other shops. 76 per cent say they were simply curious. 59 per cent believe that because many products come from China anyway, it does not matter whether they are purchased on other platforms or in cheap online shops. However, 40 per cent find the shipping time too long. And many buyers also have a bad feeling or regret their purchase. 30 per cent have ordered products they don’t even need because of the low price, and 30 per cent feel guilty about their purchase. Specifically, 35 per cent are concerned about what happens to their user data, and 31 per cent feel overwhelmed by the shop’s design. Only 14 per cent believe that these cheap online shops are just a hype that will soon disappear. Almost half (45 per cent) would like to see non-European cheap online shops be more heavily regulated.

Those who have made multiple purchases from Temu, Shein & Co. report mostly positive experiences (74 per cent). However, 59 percent have returned or complained about products at least once, and 42 percent are concerned that the products contain materials that are harmful to health. Almost a third (31 percent) also buy products in the shops for a specific occasion, which are then disposed of after a single use. And around a fifth (18 percent) usually use the cheap products for no longer than six months.

How AI is changing online shopping

Artificial intelligence could fundamentally change online shopping, for example through AI-based browsers that automatically execute shopping orders and first carry out price comparisons or analyse product tests. 21 percent of internet users would be willing to let AI do their shopping for them. Among younger people between the ages of 16 and 29, as many as 43 per cent would use an AI shopping assistant. ‘Many people will shop with the help of AI assistants in the future. Retailers must now adapt to the AI age, otherwise there is a risk that their own offerings will be found less often,’ says Rohleder.

Younger people are more open to AI offerings

Younger people are also significantly more open to AI in online shopping. Thirty-six percent of them (28 percent of all internet users) want to tell AI what they need in the future, and it will then search for suitable offers. Thirty-four percent believe that AI will improve customer service (all: 25 percent), 30 percent would like to receive advice from AI on their purchases (all: 19 percent), and 22 percent would trust AI more than a human being when it comes to purchasing advice (all: 12 percent). 28 per cent would like to see AI that analyses their shopping behaviour and automatically reorders what is needed (all: 15 per cent). Already today, 27 per cent of younger people frequently use an AI chatbot when searching for a product, compared to only 16 per cent of all internet users.

AI will also have a major impact on advertising. 54 per cent of internet users assume that advertising will soon be generated entirely by AI, while younger people are somewhat more cautious at 49 per cent. There is agreement among all respondents and the younger group, with 66 per cent agreeing that AI will lead to many more fake product reviews in the future.

For many, it remains unclear who will ultimately benefit from the use of AI in retail. 8 per cent believe that customers will benefit most, while 33 per cent believe that retailers will benefit most. 27 per cent see the advantages for both customers and retailers, and 11 per cent believe that neither will benefit. One-fifth (20 per cent) have no opinion on the matter or do not wish to give one.

Note on methodology: The information is based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. A total of 1,120 internet users in Germany aged 16 and above were surveyed, including 1,072 online shoppers. The survey took place between calendar weeks 40 and 41 of 2025. The survey is representative.