Online shoppers today know what they want and they want it immediately. Although as many as 69% of Slovenians still rate their most recent online shopping experience as easy, the DPD E-shopper Barometer 2025 study reveals a clear shift: patience is rapidly fading, while expectations are higher than ever.
Compared to their European peers, regular Slovenian e-shoppers perceive even more friction in the shopping journey. What frustrates them most are basic issues such as confusing websites, complicated payment processes, out-of-stock products, or too many similar options that make decision-making difficult.
It therefore comes as no surprise that 8 out of 10 regular e-shoppers check whether customer support is available before completing a purchase. In a world of rapid clicks, a sense of security has become just as important as price.
Price still leads but convenience is close behind
Despite the rapid evolution of e-commerce, price remains the strongest motivator.
As many as 65% of Slovenians say price is the most important factor in their purchase decision, while 63% believe online shopping helps them save money. More than half of shoppers are constantly on the lookout for good deals and are happy to wait for major sales events such as Black Friday or seasonal promotions.
At the same time, an interesting shift is emerging: 53% of shoppers are willing to pay more for services that make their lives easier—such as faster delivery, simpler returns, or better customer support.
Delivery is no longer the final step, it’s part of the decision
If delivery used to be mainly about when a parcel would arrive, today shoppers also care about who delivers it. As many as 71% of regular e-shoppers want to know which delivery company will handle their parcel before making a purchase.
They want to choose a provider known for reliable service, feel a sense of security, and avoid repeating negative past experiences.
Delivery has thus become an extension of the online retailer’s brand and often a decisive factor in whether a purchase is completed.
Generation Z: no compromises, clear expectations
If one group set the pace of change in 2025, it was Generation Z. Young Slovenian e-shoppers purchase more frequently than older generations, are expanding the range of categories they buy online—including fresh food delivery—and expect extremely fast shipping, often next-day or even same-day.
Although 93% of Gen Z shoppers have a regular income, only one third are fully financially independent. This explains their strong price sensitivity. Free delivery and free returns remain non-negotiable, while speed is almost taken for granted.
Social media: from idea to purchase
Online shopping is increasingly less likely to start with a search engine. In Slovenia, it often begins directly on social media: 73% of e-shoppers use social platforms for shopping inspiration, and 55% also complete their purchases there.
Facebook remains the strongest channel for actual transactions, while Instagram and TikTok play a key role in inspiration especially for Gen Z. Younger shoppers are more influenced by ads, recommendations, and videos than by brand recognition alone.
January = returns
After the peak shopping season comes another e-commerce reality: returns. Fifteen percent of regular Slovenian e-shoppers returned their most recent online purchase, yet only 45% rated the return process as easy.
The top three reasons why shoppers find returns difficult are:
- having to find and use their own packaging when the order arrived in a bag or damaged box
- disappointment with the product
- the feeling that returns require too much effort
At a time when fast purchasing is a given, easy returns are increasingly becoming a key competitive advantage.
Peak season 2025: numbers that confirm the shift
Between November and December 2025, Geopost delivered 392 million parcels across Europe representing a 9.1% increase year on year. The busiest day was December 1, when the European network processed more than 12 million parcels in a single day.
Growth was particularly strong in deliveries to pickup points, which rose by 29% across Europe clearly signaling long-term changes in consumer behavior.
What will matter in 2026?
The past year has made one thing clear: shoppers expect a fast, transparent, and reliable experience—from the first click to a potential return.
For e-retailers and delivery providers, 2026 will be a year of optimization: fewer complications, more clarity, and above all, a stronger focus on what customers truly perceive as added value today.
What is really happening behind the scenes of online shopping, and why are the rules of the game changing so quickly? Learn more about the key findings of the E-shopper Barometer study and the future of e-commerce in Slovenia at: https://www.dpd.com/si/en/trends-and-habits-of-e-shoppers-in-2025/.
