Economy 18 May 2020, 1:40pm

E-commerce a big winner of the coronavirus in Hungary as well

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Online purchases in the past month have surpassed all other forms of spending, according to a Mastercard survey. Some 35% of Hungarians said they had never bought as much online as in recent weeks, along with 57% of Europeans.

According to the survey, 30% of Europeans are now spending more money on virtual experiences: 58% are watching movies or series on steaming platforms, 26% attend online training sessions and 24% take virtual tours of museums and other sites of interest.

Hungarians have also been making forays into the virtual realm during the lockdown: 40% are using streaming services, 20% are taking fitness classes and 15% have visited museums online. Online stand-up comedy shows (30%) and concerts (35%) are also highly popular in Hungary, the survey found. Unsurprisingly, keeping in touch with other people has also shifted to online forms, and 73% of Hungarians have been in video calls either with their families or as part of their jobs.

People are also making use of the extra time spent home to learn new online skills (or to learn new skills online). 37% of Europeans have started banking online, more than 28% are learning online health management and drug ordering, while 31% are learning to cook online. The numbers are slightly different in Hungary: 39% have tried online banking for the first time during the lockdown, 25% are learning to cook, while the third most popular activity is learning as one in five Hungarians are taking online courses.

One in ten people in Hungary and across Europe are learning to code, while 7% of Europeans are learning to play a musical instrument and 14% are using online guides on cutting hair.

As for e-commerce, the number of people buying basic goods online increased by 36%, with the most popular categories across Europe being books (32%), hair-cutting tools (19%) and fitness equipment. In Hungary, books (23%) are followed by kitchen equipment (21%), hair paint and IT equipment (both 12%).

The survey also found that online customer habits closely reflect real-life behaviour: 83% of Hungarians and 81% of Europeans who regularly hunt for major discounts in brick-and-mortar stores are also spending hours online looking for the best deals. Meanwhile, 66% of Europeans who prefer just browsing in physical stores are now making online wishlists that seldom lead to actual purchases. About half of European customers remain loyal to stores frequented before the crisis, while in Hungary, 65% stick to their tried and trusted retailers.

Regarding security, 65% of Europeans and 59% of Hungarians have concerns of becoming the victim of online fraud. To make purchases safer, 81% of Europeans and 84% of Hungarians buy from known sellers when possible, and more than 80% check website or customer reviews before buying.

Cover photo: Getty Images