BERLIN, Nov 25 (Reuters) - In only a few years, Germans have become a nation of online shoppers, with most now turning to devices to buy clothes, groceries and medicines in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey showed that 99% of adults in Germany, where more than 70% of companies still use fax machines, now shop online, with 39% of respondents doing so at least once a week. This is despite Germans being more negative on technology trends than the European average, with a 2022 McKinsey study finding them particularly critical of hyper-personalisation.
But that is changing, according to the study from the German GfK institute with Mastercard, seen exclusively by Reuters. Alvaro Pinilla furnished his new apartment in Berlin online, buying lamps, kitchen utensils, rugs and furniture online. "It is the comfort of not having to leave home," the 30-year-old lawyer told Reuters.
"I also think that online prices are as competitive, or even better than, in a physical store." Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as the impending Christmas season, will mark highs for online trade and Germany's main retail association HDE expects sales of 87.1 billion euros ($91.
66 billion) for the e-commerce industry this year. "If there's a week when I haven't bought anything, my brain tells me 'time to treat yourself'," said Pinilla, who plans to take advantage of Black Friday discounts to buy a new coat, boots, scarf and gloves. The survey of more than 1,000 respondents found that fashion is .