Prague, October 10, 2025 – We are presenting the latest data from a new study conducted by the National Sample (online sample provider), which offers a detailed results of the survey focused on online shopping among the online population aged 18–54 in Ukraine. The study involved 1,000 respondents in Ukraine, representative of the population aged 18–54 by gender, age, education, and region of residence. The data was collected through an online survey conducted in August 2025.
96% of Ukrainians shop on e-commerce sites at least occasionally, and 16% even do so on a weekly basis
Online shopping is highly popular among Ukrainians aged 18–54. 16% shop on e-commerce sites weekly, while another 43% make purchases at least once a month. Weekly online shopping is significantly more common among young Ukrainians aged 25–34 and respondents living in large cities with over 100,000 inhabitants. Only 4% of Ukrainians aged 18–54 reported having no experience with online shopping. This was mentioned significantly more often by respondents with a low level of education.
Fast free delivery appears to be a successful motivator for more frequent purchases
For Ukrainian respondents, the most frequently mentioned decision-making factor when choosing an online store is price, cited by half of them. The second most common factor is product availability (37%), followed by previous experience with the e-shop (36%). Other important factors influencing Ukrainians’ choice of where to shop online include free delivery (28%), store reviews (27%), online or social media advertising (22%), a suitable range of payment methods (19%), delivery speed (16%), recommendations from friends/family (15%), and loyalty programs (11%). One in ten Ukrainians chooses an e-shop based on recommendations from a well-known personality or influencer. TV advertising plays only a minimal role, with just 2% of Ukrainians aged 18–54 saying they choose an e-shop this way.
Free shipping, delivery speed, and e-shop reviews are significantly more important for those who shop online frequently, i.e., at least once a week. Those who shop at least once a month place significantly greater importance on previous experience with the e-shop and an attractive loyalty program.
Retailers – monitor your reviews carefully, they can make or break the purchase decision
Not every intention to purchase online ends with a completed payment. The most common reason for abandoning a purchase is negative reviews or a low store rating, cited by as many as 46% of Ukrainians. Another major factor is the fear of fraud or suspicion that the e-shop is fake – reported by 43% of respondents. Other reasons include lack of product information (37%), high delivery costs (33%), a bad previous experience with the e-shop (32%), long delivery times (25%), limited payment options (25%), hidden fees such as handling or packaging (24%), a generally complicated ordering process (21%), unclear return conditions (19%), limited shipping options (17%), and for 13% of Ukrainians, the requirement to register before making a purchase. While long waiting times discourage Ukrainian men more often, for women it is primarily bad reviews and unclear return policies that prevent them from completing a purchase.
A good online store is recognized by detailed product descriptions and great reviews from real buyers
For more than half of Ukrainians aged 18–54, detailed product descriptions are an important feature of an e-shop. Customer reviews are also seen as essential by 48% of respondents, and for 34% this includes user-uploaded photos of purchased products. Detailed product photos from the seller are considered a must-have by 42%. One third of Ukrainian consumers value simple and detailed product filtering. A quarter of respondents want a mobile app for shopping on an e-shop. For 23%, the ability to complete a quick purchase without registration is decisive, as is online chat or real-time customer support (23%). Other valued features include the option to save favorite products to a wishlist for future purchases (21%), the ability to view similar or alternative products (19%), quick search with autosuggest (18%), product comparison tools (16%), price history (13%), discount alerts (11%), and the option to set prices in different currencies (6%).
Local Ukrainian e-shops are the most popular, while Asian online stores offering fast-moving consumer goods are also in high demand
More than half of Ukrainians aged 18–54 state that they primarily or exclusively shop at local Ukrainian online stores, with this being significantly more common among people with higher education. Asian e-shops such as Aliexpress, Temu, or Shein also enjoy strong popularity, with 28% of Ukrainians shopping there – particularly women. One third of respondents state that the location of the e-shop is irrelevant, provided it delivers to their home. By contrast, only 6% of Ukrainians shop at U.S.-based online retailers such as eBay, Target, or Amazon, and these are used primarily by men.
