Germans shop more online as AI tools help hunt for bargains

Online shopping is growing in Germany despite weak consumer sentiment, with more people buying on the internet and spending more than before, according to the latest Online Monitor from the German Retail Association (HDE). 

Artificial intelligence (AI) assistants are increasingly being used, for example to compare prices, the HDE said on Thursday.

"Online retail can decouple itself to some extent from the poor revenue trend in the wider retail sector," said Stephan Tromp, deputy director general of the HDE. 

According to the association's forecast, online revenues in Germany are expected to rise by 4.3% in nominal terms in 2026. Bricks-and-mortar retail is expected to see growth of only 1.6%. 

Around one seventh of all retail revenues are now generated online.

The HDE also attributes the strong growth in online shopping to older users buying on the internet more frequently. Among those aged over 55, the number of online shoppers grew by an above-average 3.1% in 2025.

Significantly more food and drug-store products ordered online

According to the HDE, online sales of new goods in Germany totalled around €92 billion ($107 billion) in 2025 — nearly 4% more than the previous year. In percentage terms, the increase was significantly larger than in bricks-and-mortar retail.

Sales of everyday products such as food and drug-store goods grew particularly strongly, up 10.4%, as consumers increasingly order online — for example via delivery services. The online share is considerably higher for electronics and fashion, however.

According to the HDE's consumer barometer, a monthly household survey, consumer sentiment has improved slightly but remains weak.

E-commerce expert Karolin Junker de Neui of digital consultancy Etribes explains the better performance of online retail: "A good price-performance ratio is particularly important to consumers right now." That need was easier to meet online, she said. "It is easier to find the cheapest price there."

She sees further advantages in online shopping, including a wider product selection and convenience. "Going into the city centre costs time and money."

'End to the classic shopping trip'

Survey data also reflects this trend. For clothing and shoes, 65% of people already buy predominantly online and rarely visit a shop, according to a representative survey by the Appinio institute.

For electronics and mobile phones, the figure is 58%, and for household appliances and technology it is 54%.

Junker de Neui sees an "end to the classic shopping trip" for certain product categories.

The survey questioned 1,000 people aged between 16 and 65 in April.

Spending on consumer goods is now split almost equally between online and bricks-and-mortar retail — with the online share growing. Some 50% said they shop online more frequently than in the previous year, with a similar number doing so as often as before.

The most commonly cited reasons for not shopping more online are the inability to touch or try on products (73%), complicated returns (67%) and delivery times that are too long (60%).

AI may help, but not decide

According to Appinio, the biggest factor in choosing an online shop is the lowest price. Customers also value delivery time and availability, promotions and discounts and reviews from other customers.

However, six in 10 respondents already trust an AI assistant more than a traditional customer review.

AI is playing an increasingly important role in online shopping. Consumers use it primarily to save money. Some 60% want AI to optimize prices.

Many are reluctant to give up control, however. Some 60% reject autonomous purchases. Even for everyday products such as washing powder, one in two wants to make every decision themselves.

"There were also times when nobody could imagine having groceries delivered to their home," said expert Junker de Neui. She expects consumers to become increasingly open to the idea.