When you think about e-commerce in France, brands like Cdiscount, Le Bon Coin and Vinted spring to mind. And with good reason: these three are e-commerce giants. So, clearly we’re going to mention them here. But the main thing we’re going to focus on is the reasons for their success… How did these 10 hugely popular e-commerce websites become so loved by consumers?
Which are the most visited e-commerce websites in France?
In 2022, e-commerce website audiences were measured by FEVAD (The French E-commerce and Distance-Selling Federation)
For each business area, the study published by FEVAD shows how often the e-sellers’ websites were visited in 2022. It then ranks them by number of purchasers in the last 12 months.
For example, for booking accommodation and tourist trips, Booking.com comes first with 39.8%, then Airbnb (23.8%) with Oui Sncf (21.9%) next.
For fashion, Amazon is at the top with a 42.4% share of online buyers, followed by Vinted (26%) and Decathlon (21%).
In addition, Amazon also comes top in the following areas:
- Cultural Products
- Home Appliances
- Toys & Games
- Furniture & Home Decor
Which e-commerce sites are most popular in France right now?
The list of the 10 most popular e-commerce sites in France includes well-known brands like Amazon, Cdiscount and Fnac. But it also covers other product categories like electronics, clothing, homeware…
1. Amazon
What’s Amazon’s secret? The US brand prioritises its clients, no matter what. The platform offers low prices, a wide product range and quick delivery.
In addition, Amazon uses the latest technology as part of its business model: Alexa. In 2021 alone, this voice assistant generated more than 2.4 billion interactions in France.
Lastly, Amazon Prime (Amazon’s membership scheme) is an absolute goldmine for the brand. For just €5.99 a month, consumers have access to 24-hour delivery on more than two million items, films, TV series, e-books, music and more.
Football fans can even pay a €12.99 monthly supplement to have access to all the Premier League matches.
In short, Amazon has managed to create an affordable, complete offer that offers quick access wherever you are.
2. Vinted
Founded initially in Vilnius in Lithuania, Vinted has been a resounding success in France, especially among 18 to 35-year-olds. In case you aren’t aware, Vinted can be used by anyone, to buy and sell second-hand items (clothing, books, furniture, games, etc.)
One of the reasons this app is so popular today is that it facilitates the circular economy, users become part of the sales process.
Among other things, you can use it to swap items with buyers aboard, without speaking their language as it has an integrated translation system. Lastly, buyers and sellers can negotiate a sale price before the transaction, which reinforces the impression of getting a good deal.
3. Decathlon
Decathlon came 3rd in the textile sector in the ‘most popular e-commerce sites in France’ list, thanks to their perfectly organised e-merchandising. With this in mind, e-commerce experts have created a tops/flops list to isolate the performance figures for products sold on Decathlon’s website.
More importantly, Decathlon is careful to:
- Restock bestsellers regularly (going out of stock is a big no-no)
- Commercialise the most innovative products that sports fans want
- Show similar products if something is unavailable to avoid frustration and give consumers an alternative solution.
4. Booking.com
Booking.com is an obvious addition to our list of the top e-commerce sites in France. And with good reason: the platform has a wide variety of accommodation options at very competitive prices. What’s more, Booking.com is the discount king!
If you book a hotel on this popular e-commerce site, you’ll soon see that their email marketing strategy is pretty persuasive. What they do is offer great deals over a short time frame to encourage their members to book their holiday quickly. This considerably increases their conversion rate.
Lastly, Olivier Voûte, Booking.com’s marketing director, explains that their user experience on mobile devices is extremely high quality, which is another reason for the site’s dazzling success.
5. Airbnb
This community platform places great emphasis on user experience. For example, Airbnb’s directors use thousands of freelancers to take professional photos. The platform’s design has also been altered several times to adapt to consumers’ online behaviour.
What’s more, Airbnb has a playful, local quality that people love. Holidaymakers review their rental, and the rental owners review the holidaymaker. It makes the experience authentic, fun and rather enjoyable. Among other things, Airbnb was able to expand and offer cultural and sightseeing experiences organised by experts or passionate locals.
6. Zalando
Zalando is a bit like Spotify for fashion. It’s clear the site’s creators were inspired by Spotify when they designed their e-commerce website. But instead of artists, they list fashion brands.
This is how Zalando (which only sold shoes 10 years ago) has become THE benchmark marketplace in the fashion industry.
And in order to stay in the lead, Zalando adapts to what consumers want. For example, the platform ensures that consumers can always find the product they need in the size they need it. If they can’t, the buyer can create an alert, so they get notified as soon as the product of their choice is in stock again.
7. Yves Rocher
According to FEVAD, France’s most loved e-commerce website in 2022 is Yves Rocher, as well as in 2014, 2018 and 2020. Users enjoy the streamlined layout of the site and the way it works, but they also love the customer service. What’s more, Yves Rocher gets an excellent score for their eco-friendly appeal and wide range of products.
8. Cdiscount
Created in 1998 in Bordeaux, Cdiscount offers over 100 million products from the four corners of the globe. And, as their name suggests, Cdiscount offers tempting deals. In addition, the platform goes one step further for its loyal customers. Reduced delivery fees, promo codes, headlines: Cdiscount pulls out all the stops to ensure brand loyalty.
If you’re looking for some tips to encourage brand loyalty, then take a look at these 8 brand loyalty strategies for e-commerce.
9. Leroy Merlin
The DIY brand Leroy Merlin doesn’t have to fear its competitors. It’s on our list of the best e-commerce websites in France and that’s because it’s one French brand that has a very close relationship with its customers.
The results? Leroy Merlin has multiplied their contact points so that its customers always have an expert on hand if they need one.
- Troubleshooting help online or by phone
- Video tutorials
- Video chat (appointment required) for sales and design projects
- Chat etc.
10. Fnac
Lastly, Fnac is the star pupil when it comes to delivery and payment methods. Fnac makes everything possible at once:
- 2-hour click and collect
- Online reservation
- Delivery to a pick-up point
- Choice of delivery window
- Simplified exchange and returns
- 0% interest payment in 3 installments.
What’s more, Fnac’s members also have access to deals and discounts on hundreds of products only available online. In short, Fnac makes each step in the purchase process easy.
One thing that the most popular e-commerce websites have in common is that they’re all translated into several languages!
To finish this article on France’s top e-commerce websites, let’s talk about what they have in common: they’re all translated into several languages.
See for yourself and visit some of the platforms we’ve mentioned. You can change the language in the top right or bottom left-hand corner of each website. In doing this, these e-commerce websites can be understood throughout the world, which only increases their popularity.
If you’re looking to translate your e-commerce website into several languages and follow in the footsteps of the best, take a look at TextMaster’s services! Our professional, certified translators are available to translate your product descriptions, web pages and/or blog articles!
