The Polish market is very interesting for e-commerce projects, not least in terms of size, customer behaviour and consumer sentiment. If you want to set yourself up for skyrocketing growth in Poland, check out these seven consumer trends that are significantly affecting the market in 2024.
7 trends in the Polish market in 2024
High inflation, global crises or unrest in world markets – all these factors are reflected in people’s willingness to spend their money on shopping for goods. In 2024, however, the unfavourable situation from the previous years gradually began to shift.
This year, only 38% of Polish consumers said that high inflation and global crises influenced their purchasing decisions. For comparison, in 2023 this figure was as high as 47%.
This decline infuses optimism into the online space and it suggests that in the near future, we can expect greater consumer spending and less caution when it comes to purchases than in previous years.
1. Dominance of marketplaces in Poland
Platforms like Allegro clearly dominate the Polish market. Up to 41% of Polish customers start their search on these marketplaces. Allegro alone takes a 33% cut of this pie, which significantly exceeds even giants like Google (26%).
Why are marketplaces so popular in Poland?
- attractive prices,
- availability of a wide selection of products,
- convenient and fast shopping,
- from the point of view of the seller – a set of tools to support the digital transformation of sales – payments, delivery, customer reach, rapid implementation of products for sale and advertising tools for sales support.
If you want to reach Polish customers at the initial stage of the purchase process, you should definitely not leave out Allegro.
2. Growing number of Smart Shoppers
Up to 36% of Polish consumers time their purchases in line with the best offers. We are referring to the so-called “Smart Shoppers” phenomenon, which we are currently seeing more and more often. Customers will simply wait until their planned purchase has the best value for money. They use all available price comparators and wait for bigger offers and deals, thanks to which they can buy more products at a better price.
Once again, this brings us to the pricing policy, which is particularly challenging on the Polish market. People are waiting for promotions to come up and online stores have work to do in this fight if they want to retain their customers.
3. Quick purchase decision-making
Recent years have seen customer behaviour changing like a see-saw. It is no different in Polish e-commerce.
If we look at the situation before the pandemic, up to 20% of customers would complete their online search with a purchase in a brick-and-mortar store. However, this trend has changed significantly in recent years. We are talking about so-called “Compressed Commerce”, a trend which did not bypass Poland.
Today, only 6% of Poles who start their shopping process online complete it in a brick-and-mortar store. We are therefore observing an up to 14% drop, which signals a significant shift towards online purchases and excellent news for the entire e-commerce market in Poland.
4. The growing role of Allegro and everyday online shopping
We know that Allegro dominates Polish e-commerce. Recently, however, we have noticed another interesting phenomenon – an increase in its use in so-called fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), such as household cleaning products or food.
Polish consumers are increasingly moving their everyday purchases to the online space and online stores should take advantage of this. If you operate in this segment, you should definitely secure your presence on Allegro and other key platforms.
5. Price sensitivity and bargain hunting
Discounts, promotions, second-hand products and bargains. The Polish market is challenging for online stores. People are used to looking for deals, comparing prices and using discounts. This trend is reflected across all market segments.
Up to 57% of Polish customers will switch platforms if they find a better price. In addition, 43% of customers are influenced by various promotions and discounts. Online stores on the Polish market must be price-competitive and offer regular promotions and discounts, more so than anywhere else in the world.
6. The role of advertising in purchasing behaviour
The good news is that Poles are prone to believe advertising and they are likely to be influenced into buying a new brand that they had never considered before.
Up to 50% of Poles report that advertising helped them find a good deal, while 36% admitted that because of advertising, they bought a brand they hadn’t considered before.
The Polish market is large and if you have the right marketing strategy, you can succeed here.
7. Omnichannel shopping preferences
Customers in Poland like to combine the benefits of online and offline shopping. They often look at products in an online store and then buy them in a brick-and-mortar store. The reverse is also true – they try the product in a store and then order it online.
For example, 48% of Poles still prefer buying food in brick-and-mortar stores. On the contrary, they much prefer to buy cleaning products and pet supplies online.
Therefore, before entering the Polish market, we recommend that you do your homework and familiarise yourself with these preferences for individual categories. That way, you can combine offers for online and offline customers wherever relevant.
Expansion is just the beginning
In the Polish retail space, it is becoming almost necessary to offer products with a significant discount or to create an attractive gifting concept that will convince the Polish customer.
Even in car sales, used cars lead the way, and in electronics, a combination of discounted, cheap and used products sits at the top of the list.
If you have an online store and are planning to expand, contact us. We are currently helping our partners expand to 34+ countries in the world, including Poland. Check if you are really ready for new markets.
