Internet retailing: German FMCG report reveals beauty out in front
The report notes that 59% of trafficto brands in its comprehensive Index directory is currently coming from mobile devices, and as such, “it is increasingly important that brands optimize their sites for mobile use.”
Looking at those enterprises with three or more brand sites under their umbrella, the report notes that personal care players are making good headway when it comes to adoption of native mobile features.
Beiersdorf, P&G and Unilever all scored at least some uptake on four out of five of the following features: mobile adoption, swipe support, mobile video content, touch to zoom, store locator and geolocation.
More consistent site quality needed
The report from L2 suggestst that although some brands are ticking all the right boxes on their mobile sites, generally there’s room for improvement.
“While mobile optimization in Germany is high, mobile site features vary widely,” the report observes. “While 68% of mobile sites deature swipe support, only Dove has touch or pinch to zoom, a useful feature unique to mobile.
“Philips and Nivea offer mobile DTC, while half of Index mobile sites hand ogg to third-party e-tailers. For offliene purchases, six brands - four of them from P&G - have an on-site store locator, five of which use geolocation.”
L2 positions Beiersdorf as market leader for consumer engagement.
“Beiersdorf leads the way in mobile customer service, with all three of its Index brands offering mobile live chat.”
Amazon: leading marketplace
The report highlights Amazon's dominance in the consumer goods retail space in Germany.
“Germany is Amazon's second largest market after the US, indicating an appetite for online commerce that is currently unfulfilled by local players,” analysts say.
“Amazon Germany generates 15 times as much traffic as Germany's next largest online retailer, Otto […] To drive its growth, Amazon has invested heavily in new product launches, including Amazon Pantry, One Hour Prime Delivery, and AmazonFresh.”