According to a Sovendus study, Spain is the European country where online shopping happens the latest in the day. This document highlights an online consumption pattern that clearly sets Spain apart from the rest of Europe. Spanish shoppers concentrate their peak activity at 10:00 PM, which makes Spain the country where online purchases peak the latest in the entire analysis.
The fashion category is a good example of this trend. While in most European countries the highest purchasing volume occurs on Sunday afternoons and evenings, in Spain the activity peak happens on Tuesdays at 10:00 PM. In the beauty and health categories something similar occurs, reaching its maximum volume on Mondays, also at 10:00 PM.
In contrast, British consumers make most of their purchases at 5:00 PM, while in France the peak activity occurs on Wednesdays at 11:00 AM. In most European markets, Sunday is the day with the greatest commercial activity, specifically between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. In Spain, however, Monday leads the purchase volume, accompanied by a second moment of heightened activity around noon in categories such as Travel, Food & Beverages, and Home.
This behavior seems to reflect the very rhythm of Spanish life: later meals, a peak-time that skews toward the night, and a daily routine that also translates to e-commerce.
Moreover, the analysis shows that purchases made late in the day do not reflect impulsive buying nor are they concentrated in specific categories. The distribution of products purchased at 10:00 PM is almost identical to that recorded during the rest of the day, indicating that Spanish consumers simply shop later, maintaining their same consumption habits.
Despite these time-zone differences, the weekly distribution of purchases remains very similar to the rest of Europe. About 72% of purchases occur on weekdays and 28% during the weekend. Rather than reflecting increased activity on Saturdays and Sundays, this split essentially follows the natural proportion between weekdays and weekends, pointing to a very steady buying pattern across the week.
Spaniards are the most receptive to offers
The study also notes that Spain is the European country most receptive to offers after an online purchase: Spanish consumers respond to these offers more frequently than those in any other European market.
The data, drawn from Sovendus’s network of European partners, show that close to 47% of online buyers in Spain interact with an offer after completing a purchase, such as a coupon or a discount from another brand. That is the highest share of all markets analyzed and far exceeds the European average of 22%.
France follows with 42.1%, and Poland with 34.9%. These results reflect that the Spanish consumer not only buys actively online but also shows a particular willingness to discover new brands and offers at the moment of purchase, a valuable opportunity for merchants looking to grow in the Spanish market.
Savings as a decisive factor
“Spanish consumers have a pronounced affinity for promotions and discounts, both online and in physical stores,” says Adham Lotfi, Sovendus’ Country Manager in Spain. “Savings are one of the main factors influencing the purchase decision. Moreover, Spain has a solid coupon culture and a habit of comparing offers, where comparison sites and promotional campaigns play a significant role. If you add to this one of the highest mobile browsing rates in Europe, the result is a consumer especially predisposed to interact with offers right at the moment of purchase, in a way that clearly stands out from other European markets.”
The study’s conclusions have direct implications for brands operating in Spain and across Europe. With almost half of online Spanish buyers interacting with offers after completing a purchase and with the highest level of activity concentrated at the end of the day, the data point to a particularly favorable moment to connect with the consumer. Companies that tailor their post-purchase strategies to the habits of each market, rather than applying a single approach for all of Europe, will be better positioned to reach the consumer when their willingness to discover new brands and offers is higher.
