Half of Belgians prefer to buy gifts in a physical shop
Six out of ten people appreciate the human contact with the shop staff
More than half of Belgians prefer to buy their gifts in a physical shop rather than online. According to a recent study conducted by financial technology platform Adyen in the run-up to the holiday season, consumers still prefer to shop in person, especially for furniture and home accessories.
Adyen surveyed the purchasing intentions of 1,000 Belgians in the run-up to the holiday season. The results show that more than half of Belgians (54%) prefer to go to physical shops to buy gifts for their family and friends. Only 14% choose to do so online. Unsurprisingly, it is mainly the over 60s (70%) who opt for the physical shop, while less than half (46%) of the 18-39 year olds prefer to shop in person to find the ideal gift for the festive season.
Physical and online
Looking at the type of items in the basket, Belgians still choose physical shops mainly for furniture (79%) and home accessories (69%). Clothing shops (66%) also remain popular. For toys and multimedia, consumers are more likely to order online. Here, a quarter (28%) and a third (33%) respectively say they prefer to look for the perfect item online.
Question: Where do you prefer to buy the following items?
| On site | Online | Doesn’t know | |
| Furniture | 79% | 10% | 11% |
| Home accessories | 69% | 20% | 12% |
| Clothing | 66% | 26% | 6% |
| Multimedia | 58% | 33% | 9% |
Toys |
46% |
28% |
26% |
New and used
The second-hand market is growing steadily, which is cautiously reflected in the figures. For example, about one in ten Belgians prefers to occasionally buy furniture (13%), toys (12%) or clothes (10%) second-hand. Of all items, multimedia is the least popular. Here, only a small number (6%) say they prefer to buy a used item.
Question: How do you prefer to buy the following items?
| Second-hand | New | Doesn’t know | |
| Furniture | 13% | 72% | 15% |
| Home accessories | 13% | 73% | 14% |
| Toys | 12% | 62% | 26% |
| Clothing | 10% | 80% | 10% |
| Multimedia | 6% | 82% | 12% |
Shop staff
The fact that physical shops are still very popular is partly due to the service and staff in the shops. Six out of ten Belgians (64%) say, for example, that they particularly appreciate the human contact with the staff. New digital solutions are also helping to improve the shopping experience: almost half (51%) say that QR codes and contactless payments make shopping easier. However, there is room for improvement: for example, a third of Belgian consumers (31%) are annoyed by the lack of staff in shops.
Julien Marlier, Country Manager Adyen Belgium, sheds light on these figures: “We have noticed for a long time that Belgians easily switch from a physical shop to an online shop. Retailers have to adapt to this situation by offering a unique shopping experience on different sales channels. By using new and modern payment solutions, brands can take the consumer experience to the next level.”
About the study
The study was commissioned by Adyen (AMS: AYDEN) and conducted in November 2022 by Motivaction International B.V. among 1,000 Belgian participants aged 18 to 80.
About Adyen
Adyen is the preferred financial technology platform for leading companies. With end-to-end payment capabilities, data-driven analytics and financial products in one solution, we help businesses around the world achieve their ambitions faster. Adyen has offices around the world and works with companies including Facebook, Uber, H&M, eBay, Kinepolis, Odoo and Deliverect.