Price Wins: 78% of Nordic Consumers Now Shop Cross-Border

Swedish Krona Helped, Marketing Shifted from US to Europe

Sweden saw an even more significant jump. 73% of people shopped from abroad there, while in autumn 2024 it was only 65%. The strengthening of the Swedish krona made foreign purchases more attractive.

China holds first place in popularity among shopping destinations, ahead of Germany and Denmark.

Aggressive marketing by major Chinese retailers also drives the growth. Temu and Shein shifted part of their budgets from the US to Europe due to American tariffs on Chinese goods. Advertising investments in countries like France and the UK have grown, a trend that likely affected Sweden as well. 17% of Swedes now shop abroad because of an offer from a foreign retailer, compared to 12% a year ago.

Young People Drive the Second-Hand Market

Parallel to cheap purchases from China, interest in sustainability is also growing. 66% of Nordic consumers bought or sold second-hand items in the past three months.

Among young people aged 18-29, this share is significantly higher – nearly 9 out of 10 participate in the second-hand market. The young generation is keeping the used goods segment alive.

What Matters at Checkout

The survey also examined customers’ experiences with the checkout process. 87% of customers were satisfied with their last online purchase.

Swedes value most the ability to choose their preferred payment method and clear upfront delivery information. Older customers emphasise payment security; younger ones have this requirement too, but relatively consider it less important.

Many customers want free delivery and the option to shop without creating an account. For retailers, this is a dilemma – guest checkout reduces friction but prevents collecting data for personalised marketing.

Source: PostNord

Price Wins Over Domestic Availability

Sweden is the largest and most mature e-commerce market in the region. Swedish retailers have improved their offerings, and fewer people now cite “everything is available at home” as a reason not to shop abroad – down from 41% to 33%.

Yet cross-border shopping keeps growing. The data shows a clear pattern: consumers aren’t shopping abroad because products are unavailable domestically. They’re doing it for lower prices and more interesting products (33%). Even as Swedish retailers close the product gap, Chinese platforms win on price.

83% of Nordic consumers shopped online in the past 30 days. The main reason for online shopping versus physical stores is lower prices for 22% of people.