Insights · 3 min read

Consumer survey: 4 takeaways for German businesses

Oskar StenzelPosted April 11, 2023

Over 90% of Germany’s 83 million inhabitants are internet users, representing one of the strongest ecommerce markets in Europe. 

And yet, just because people are having digital experiences doesn’t mean those experiences are positive. 

A new consumer survey from FullStory reveals valuable insights about how German consumers interact with digital businesses, what frustrates them, which industries have room to improve, and more.

Here are the four most important findings from the survey for German companies. 

1. Many German consumers are brand-agnostic

Businesses relying on brand loyalty to keep customers coming back may need to take a new approach, according to the consumer survey data. An astounding 48% of German consumers say they “don’t care” what site or app they transact with, “as long as it works.” This is notably higher than the global average of 44%. 

This indicates that many companies may need to adjust their retention strategies to account for the fact that consumers are loyal to great digital experiences—not to brands. More than anything else, a seamless online transaction process is what’s likely to create return customers and users. 

2. German digital experiences are not meeting consumer expectations

In the survey, consumers were asked to rate whether they generally have positive or negative experiences with different industries. On average, German consumers cite having fewer positive and more negative digital experiences across nearly all industries included in the survey. 

It’s unclear whether these differences point to the fact that German digital experiences are behind the curve or that German consumers have higher expectations for online transactions than the rest of the world. Either way, though, it stands that on the whole, German consumers are less pleased with their digital experiences than consumers in other parts of the world. 

3. Great digital experiences are worth more euros

According to the survey, 75% of German consumers say the most important factor of a great digital experience is that they can “quickly accomplish” what they came to do. In fact, this is so important that nearly two-thirds (64%) of German consumers say they would be willing to pay more for flawless digital experiences. This is markedly higher than the global average of 58%. 

Exactly how much more are Germans willing to spend for friction-free online transactions? Here’s a closer look: 

• 13% would pay 25% more

• 23% would pay 15% more

• 29% would pay 5% more

The fact that so many German consumers are willing to pay a premium for simple, easy-to-use digital transactions shows just how important seamless digital experiences are to consumers. 

4. Small DX issues can cause big frustration

The consumer survey revealed that over three-fourths (77%) of German consumers have Rage Clicked on a frustrating element of a digital experience. However, only 33% of them say they’re likely to leave feedback for a company where they had a negative online experience. This means it’s critical for businesses to pay attention to the unspoken frustrations that customers are revealing through their behaviors. 

Here’s a look at the digital experience issues that are most frustrating for German consumers: