Spain shows 16% digital growth

Ecommerce in Spain amounted to over 84 billion euros last year, marking a 16.3 percent growth compared to 2022.

Most digital trade transactions were international. In the last quarter, Spaniards spent abroad nearly 60 percent of their money that was spent online, according to CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia), the national market and competition authority in Spain. To promote commerce, the organization also conducts market analyses, among other activities.

CNMC uses a broad definition of ecommerce in Spain. Within this, travel agencies and tour operators constitute the largest sector accounting for 8.5 percent of all electronic commerce in the fourth quarter of 2023. Clothing follows with a share of 7.3 percent amounting to about 6 billion euros annually, while air transport takes the third spot with a 5.5 percent share.

Gambling is the leader in terms of the number of digital purchases. In the last quarter of last year, this figure amounted to 432 million transactions, which means an increase of more than 15 percent.

In that last quarter of 2023, only 40.1 percent of the digital transaction value remained in Spain. The remaining 59.9 percent flowed to foreign entities. This amounts to 13.6 billion euros in three months, most of which was spent at sellers in other EU countries. Spanish consumers especially favor online stores from other member states for their clothing purchases.

The cross-border share of Spanish online transactions is growing – plus 19 per cent.

Meanwhile, Spanish online merchants are also increasingly earning revenue from foreign customers, but the volumes are small. Far more euros flow out of Spain to other countries than vice versa.

Amazon is the largest player in the Spanish digital market. It just recorded a gross annual revenue of 7.1 billion euros last year thanks to its activities in the country.