Heat effect: online shoppers open their wallets wider in summer

While the biggest spikes in overall spending usually occur in the run-up to Christmas, summer still sees consumers reaching for higher-value items. Millions of transactions analysed by Paysera suggest that shoppers are more willing to invest in larger purchases during the warmer months.

"Our data shows that e-commerce businesses can expect higher-value orders per transaction in summer," says Rasa Gruodytė, Head of Client Experience Management at Paysera. "This is driven by increased seasonal demand for vacation-related products, leisure items, home goods, renovation supplies and, of course, summer sales."

Analysing month-by-month summer shopping trends over the last three years shows that average spending per transaction peaks in June (EUR 86.67), followed by July (EUR 85.26), and then August (EUR 81.14).

During the summer months, shoppers are more likely to treat themselves to higher-priced items using deferred payment options. Whether through instalment plans or the Buy Now, Pay Later service, the average value of such purchases rises to EUR 725 – significantly higher than the EUR 550 average recorded during the rest of the year.

"We see about a 31% increase in the average value of deferred-payment purchases in summer. This shows that e-commerce businesses offering a variety of payment options, including deferred payment, can significantly boost sales during this period," R. Gruodytė notes.

"We anticipate the trend of elevated purchase values to continue this summer, especially in travel, leisure, and home improvement categories. However, ongoing discussions in the Parliament around real estate and self-employment tax reforms may prompt some consumers to reassess their spending plans," R. Gruodytė adds.

The findings are based on real transaction data collected from online stores and service websites supported by Paysera.