The dropshipping market - France (2024)

1.2 A growing global market

By ****, the global dropshipping market has been estimated at *** billion dollarsand is forecast to grow by an estimated ** % between **** and ****. The market is projected to reach a value of *,***.** billion by ****. This significant increase is attributed to the growing preference for online shopping, which is a key growth driver for the global dropshipping market. It should be noted that around **% of online sales are made via a dropshipping site.

E-commerce penetration rate World, ****-****, % (***) Source: ****

The positive trend in the proportion of customers using e-commerce from **.**% in **** to **.**% in **** indicates a growing adoption of online transactions. This trend is conducive to growth of the dropshipping market. Indeed, the consumer craze for online shopping is creating a growing demand for business models such as dropshipping, where products are shipped directly from supplier to customer. This positive e-commerce dynamic is a factor encouraging the continued growth of the dropshipping market.

1.3 The domestic market

The dropshipping market in France represented *.* billion euros in sales by ****.

Evolution of e-commerce sales France, ****-****, Billions of €, % (***) Source: ****

From **** to ****, e-commerce sales in France have shown steady growth, rising from from €**.* billion to €***.* billion. Positive year-on-year growth rates confirm this trend, reaching a peak of **,* % in ****. These robust results for French e-commerce underline the continuing adoption of online shopping by consumers.

Against this background, the prosperity of the e-commerce sector offers promising prospects for dropshippingas a flexible business model, benefiting from the favorable dynamics of e-commerce in France.

2.1 French online consumption habits

Internet shopping frequency France, ****, % of total Source: ****

Consumer purchasing frequency shows a diversity of behaviors, with the majority making online purchases on a regular basis. These include, ** % of participants say they shop online * to * times a monthfollowed closely by those who do so at least once a week (***). These results suggest a habitual use of e-commerce by the French, with a marked preference for frequent purchases.

Less frequent shoppers, such as those who buy less frequently (***), nevertheless underline the diversity of online consumption habits.

Moreover, by ****, the average number of online purchases per buyer will be ** annual transactions, corresponding to an average frequency ofone purchase per week per buyer. The average expenditure of online shoppers will be * *** € per year, an increase on the previous year (***). The average transaction amount is also on the rise, reaching **€representing growth of *,*% compared to **** and *% compared with ****.

Website satisfaction criteria France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

The graph shows the percentages of e-buyers who ranked different criteria in first place in their evaluations. These results highlight the importance attached by consumers to value for money and product choice when shopping online. Ease of navigation on the website and its ergonomics are also important criteria, although less predominant in respondents' ...

2.2 M-commerce, a trend among the French

M-commerce is the term used to describe online purchases made using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, and has gradually become an integral part of the daily lives of French consumers.

Breakdown of French consumers by tools used to place online orders France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

Recent analyses of the evolution of e-commerce in France highlight a significant significant increase in purchases made via mobile devices (***). According to e-commerce data, transactions carried out via cell phones account for **% of total sales by online retailers. An in-depth study reveals that ** % of French consumers use their phones to research products prior to purchase, while **% make at least one online purchase per month via their mobile. What's more, **% of consumers do their shopping using a cell phone or tablet. The food products and clothingin particular, are the categories most frequently purchased via mobile devices, mainly by a predominantly young population. [***]

2.3 Social commerce to meet growing demand on social networks

Social networks have had a major impact on the e-commerce landscape in France. They add an extra dimension to online sales, facilitating interaction between buyers and sellers. According to a study byOxatis/KPMG, nearly **% of online stores actively use social networks as a sales channel. Over **% of consumers have made purchases via these platforms, with a rate reaching **% among **-** year-olds. The advent of networks such as TikTok and the rise of influencer marketing have strengthened the means for brands to increase their visibility.

Breakdown of social network purchases by social network France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

This graph summarizes the distribution of purchases made via different social networks. Facebook dominates with ** % of purchases, followed by Instagram ** %. Snapchat, TikTok and Pinterest account for smaller shares smaller shareswith **%, *% and *% respectively. This variability highlights the importance of to choose social channels wisely when defining your website strategy.

Some consumers are still reluctant to reluctance to make direct purchases via social networksas revealed by an Accenture study. Here are some of the issues raised by the study:

Concerns about entering entering their payment information on these platforms. Lack of ability to compare multiple products on these platforms. Some Internet users are put off by the absence of ...

3.1 Dropshipping value chain

The first stage takes place when the customer places an order on the seller's website, after which the seller sends the order to its supplier. The supplier then processes the order, prepares the parcel and sends it directly to the customer.

Also, the website is linked to a CSM, a software package that enables the complete creation and management of a website. This service is very often free for the creation, but for the management there are certain financial charges for more functionalities, and subscriptions are often monthly.

3.2 The number of e-commerce sites and jobs in France

Number of sites :

Growth in the number of active merchant sites France, ****-****, in value and % Source: ****

Over the period from **** to ****, a look at the number of merchant sites in France reveals a steady upward trend. In ****, the number was *** ***rising significantly to *** *** in ****, representing growth of **%. This positive momentum has been maintained in ****with the total number of e-commerce sites reaching *** ***. It is still difficult to determine the number of dropshipping sites in France.

Number of employees :

By ****, almost half of French companies (***) will have increased their workforce dedicated to e-commerce, a trend similar to that of the previous year. In addition, **% of sites plan to recruit in ****. FEVAD data underline the growing importance of personnel in the e-commerce sectorsector, with an increase of * % in the number of jobs in ****, reaching ***,*** positions.

However, by ****, managers of the main e-commerce platforms are reporting recruitment recruitment difficulties, particularly in key sectors such as data, iT and marketing.

3.3 Profile of French dropshippers

As a reminder, the reseller, also known as the dropshipper, is the actor who puts his or her supplier(***)' products on sale on his or her e-commerce site. Essentially, the dropshipper acts as a service provider whose main responsibility is to market the products supplied by a supplier, with the aim of making a profit margin.

Main reasons for opening a dropshipping site France, ****, % Source: ****

The chart outlines the motivations of individuals who already have a dropshipping business and those who are considering taking the plunge. Among existing entrepreneurs, **% are looking to work from anywhere, **% aspire to become e-tailers, and **% are motivated by increased financial gain. For those about to launch, ** % aim to increase their income, **% are looking for geographical flexibility, and **% are attracted by the prospect of owning their own business. These data underline the diverse motivations of dropshippers, covering aspects such as geographical freedom and individual entrepreneurship.

Share of dropshippers who have taken/are willing to take professional training France, ****, % Source : Dropizi The majority of dropshippers or aspiring dropshippers have completed or are willing to complete a professional training course to get started in this business. Most training courses are online many courses are free of charge, while ...

4.1 The main product segments sold through dropshipping

The number of products with great potential on the dropshipping market is incalculable, but certain categories are much more present on dropshipping sites a top ** list of the best-selling product categories:

*. Clothing: Fashion is a particularly wide-ranging niche that can be subdivided into several sub-categories, such as women's clothing, shoes and so on. The popularity of this sector is explained by the fact that clothing products are items that consumers buy on a regular basis.

*. Beauty products : The popularity of the beauty products niche continues to grow, in parallel with an increase in its retail value. This category encompasses hair care, make-up, skin care and personal care. One trend that has been observed is the growing environmental awareness of beauty products.

*. Kitchen appliances : As one of the most frequently used rooms in the home, the kitchen is positioning itself as a popular niche for dropshipping. This product category has grown in popularity, particularly with the growing trend towards working from home, where individuals attach increasing importance to their domestic environment.

*. Baby products:The baby products market is a sector in constant demand. This category encompasses a diverse range of products, such as clothing, toys, nursery items and ...

4.2 Dropshipping services

E-commerce can be divided into two categories: e-commerce services and e-commerce products, so it's interesting to compare the two in terms of sales and turnover. Dropshipping sites can also be divided in the same way.

sales trends for e-commerce products and services France, ****-****, € billions Source: ****

The chart shows the evolution of e-commerce sector sales, differentiated between services and products, over the period from **** to ****. In the case of e-commerce servicesservices, sales have grown significant growthfrom **.* billion in **** to **.* billion in ****. This steady progression indicates a growing interest in services associated with e-commerce. By ****, there will be a significant difference between services and products, with sales of services sold online almost ** billion euros more than product sales.

Dropshipping sites are also following this trend, with more and more of them offering online services. This expansion into services encompasses a range of services such as photo printingphoto printing, product personalization, etc. Most printing services offer a wide range of customizable products, including such diverse items as shower curtains, mugs, pet bowls and T-shirts.

In this way, dropshipping is broadening its horizons by offering not only tangible products, but also virtual services, contributing to the ongoing transformation of the e-commerce landscape in ...

5.1 Legal status of dropshipping sites

To launch a dropshipping site, you need a legal status to be able to sell online. Various legal solutions are available to dropshippers, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

The main legal forms for dropshipping :

Sole proprietorship (***) Companies (***) Micro-entrepreneur scheme

Characteristics of each status :

Source: ****

Advantages and disadvantages of each legal status:

Some legal statuses are grouped together in the table because their advantages/disadvantages are similar,

Source: ****

Entrepreneurs wishing to engage in dropshipping therefore have a choice when it comes to the legal structure of their e-commerce site. However, in the initiallyit is advisable to set up a micro-business for the time it takes to get the business up and running, then when sales start to grow, it's worth considering transforming the structure. A micro-business can easily be transformed into an EIRL or a SASU.

Status of dropshipping companies France, ****, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, %, % Source: ****

The distribution of legal statuses within dropshipping sites shows a significant predominance of the micro-enterprise and the Entreprise Individuelle (***), representing **% of cases. In comparison, the SARL accounts for *% of choices, while the SAS/SASU form represents *%. These results are in line with the advantages previously stated in favor of the micro-enterprise, highlighting its simplicity of creation, lighter accounting, ...

5.2 The seller's information obligations

Providers of distance selling contracts, such as dropshipers, are obliged to provide consumers with information in the French language, as specified in articleinformation in French, as specified by article L.***-* of the French Consumer Code. This information must be presented in a clear and comprehensible manner. Specific information to be communicated includes

Lclear identification of the professionalincluding first and last name for individuals, company name for legal entities, as well as postal address, e-mail address, telephone number and SIRET number for companies registered in France. The site host must be clearly identifiedthe site host must be clearly identified, assuming responsibility for any illegal content that remains unaddressed after reporting. Information concerning delivery date The characteristics of products or services (***) The price all taxes included (***) The legal and contractual warranties must be precisely detailed. The terms and conditions of the right of withdrawalincluding the standard withdrawal form, must also be communicated.

It is important to note that pre-ticking and the use of premium-rate numbers for information purposes are prohibited. [***]

5.3 Compliance with RGPD

The acronym RGPD stands for "General Data Protection Regulation (***). This regulation governs the processing processing of personal data within the European Union.

The collection of information must take place with the aim of facilitating online purchases for the customer, so care must be taken to ask only for laking sure that only the data needed to secure the transaction and enhance customer knowledge is requested. The data collected must be justified by the service provided to the customer, and its usefulness must be systematically assessed. For example, the request for date of birth to offer a birthday service is justified.

It is important to integrate customer information and consent to the use of their data into the sales process. They must be iustomers must be clearly informed of what will be done with the information they have collected, by integrating a "privacy" page on the site, and must be given the possibility of controlling the use of their data.

Three simple rules for online data security:

The entire sales process must be in https. Require a complex password when creating customer accounts. Don't exchange personal data by e-mail, and don't store customer bank details.

6.1 Segmentation of dropshipping suppliers

As explained above, the seller does not hold any stock, but only sells the products of his supplier(***) on his website. The supplier is therefore the sole owner of the products and is also responsible for order delivery and customer returns.

A relationship of trust and quality between vendor and supplier is a key factor in the success of a dropshipping site. The seller must therefore select his suppliers with care. The range of suppliers on the dropshipping market is vast, and it can sometimes be difficult to find your way around general and specialized suppliers.

6.2 CMS (content management system) segmentation

The Content Management Systemalso known as content management system is software that enables thethe complete creation and management of a website. It is an open source system, generally available free of charge, as is the case for platforms such as Prestashop, WordPress, Magento and others. Paid content management systems (***) are also available.

Choosing the right CMS for your business is important for a number of reasons:

time-saving configuration. Infinite flexibility in configuration, varying according to the functionalities offered by the different CMS. Full ownership of your site. It's important to note that using a CMS in SaaS mode can result in a loss of ownership of the site, making it impossible to recover online.

The different CMS for dropshipping :

Here's a comparison of the three main content management systems used to create a dropshipping site: Prestashop, Wordpress/Woocommerce and Shopify :

These three platforms present varying levels of complexity and offer very different catalog integration functionalities:

Source: ****

Prestashop is particularly recommended for large-scale e-commerce and dropshipping sites large-scale, offering great scalability. On the other hand, Shopify and WooCommerce are more suited to small siteswhich makes them more accessible to beginners.

If the dropshipper's goal is to establish a site with a few ...

• PrestaShop
• Wordpress
• Shopify
• Webdrop market
• Vida XL