Spanish e-commerce has entered a phase of maturity. It is no longer just an alternative channel for occasional purchases or a habit accelerated by the pandemic. Consumers are buying more, spending more, demanding with greater criterio, and using mediation to resolve higher-value conflicts. But the main operational challenge remains the same: delivery.
The IV Study on the Digital Consumer in Spain 2021-2025 by Confianza Online analyzes 15,556 orders managed through its Mediation Committee, with a total economic volume of €5,837,001.72. The report does not measure the entire national e-commerce market but provides a very useful sample of online purchases that resulted in complaints and were resolved through an accredited mediation system. For this reason, it offers insights into where trust breaks down when a digital purchase doesn’t meet customer expectations.
The main conclusion is clear. The Spanish digital consumer in 2025 is more mature, more diverse, and handles higher-value tickets. The average spend reaches €473.86, the highest in the past five years. This represents a 32.02% increase compared to 2024 and nearly 50% more than in 2021, when the average ticket was €341.51.
Women, Millennials, and Generation X Are Changing the Online Shopping Landscape
The most representative profile drawn by the study is a 42-year-old woman living in Madrid, with an average expenditure of €473.86, primarily shopping on multi-store platforms, preferring the Christmas season, claiming delivery times, and often resolving issues via refunds.
Gender data is particularly significant. In 2025, for the first time in the series, women surpass men in online shopping presence: 51.08% versus 48.92%. In 2021, the opposite was true, with men accounting for 52.39%. The gender gap has not only closed but is slightly reversed.
However, spending remains higher among men. Their average ticket is €525.09, compared to women’s €425.26. Both groups see growth, but at different rates: male average spend increased over 44% from the previous year, while female spending rose 38%. This difference indicates distinct purchase patterns, both by categories and by the types of products being claimed.
There are also sector shifts. Women continue to lead in multi-store shopping, but have gained ground in electronics, with an 18.57% increase compared to 2024. Men remain more focused on electronics and sports or fitness. In footwear, women’s presence is very high, at 94.55%.
| Key Indicator | 2025 Data | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Orders analyzed | 15,556 | Purchases with complaints resolved via mediation |
| Total economic volume | €5,837,001.72 | Cumulative amount for orders from 2021-2025 |
| 2025 average ticket | €473.86 | Highest in the five-year series |
| Growth vs. 2024 | +32.02% | Significant increase in the average value of claimed purchases |
| Women in online purchases analyzed | 51.08% | First time surpassing men |
| Men in online purchases analyzed | 48.92% | Loss of leadership compared to 2021 |
| Male average ticket | €525.09 | Still higher than female |
| Female average ticket | €425.26 | Grew 38% compared to 2024 |
| Main reason for complaints | Delivery times | 39.73% of complaints |
| Most common resolution | Refund | 68.29% of solutions in 2025 |
Generationally, Millennials continue to lead with 33.88% of the analyzed purchases. They also spend the most, with an average ticket of €505.65, almost 40% more than in 2024 and nearly 76% higher than five years ago.
Generation X, however, is the fastest-growing group. They represent 31.68% of the sample and have an average ticket of €504.80, nearly identical to Millennials. Their annual growth rate of 43.85% shows that buyers aged 44 to 55 have firmly established e-commerce as a routine channel for significant transactions.
Baby Boomers are progressing more slowly, with an average ticket of €415.93, although their cumulative growth since 2021 exceeds 185%. Generation Z, on the other hand, is reducing spending: their average ticket dropped 7.36% to €424.49. They are the only major group showing a decline in this metric, probably due to lower purchasing power, more fragmented buying patterns, or higher price sensitivity.
Madrid Leads, but Barcelona and Málaga Are Gaining Ground
The study confirms Madrid’s leadership in digital presence, accounting for 24.24% of analyzed purchases. Followed by Barcelona with 11.47%, Valencia with 5.68%, Seville with 4.91%, and Málaga with 4.29%.
However, regional evolution reveals an even more interesting story. Madrid continues to dominate but is losing market share, dropping 3.02% from 2024 and decreasing 17.69% over five years. Conversely, Barcelona grew 9.36% in the past year and 35.42% over the entire period. Málaga also gained ground over the long term, with a 29.38% increase.
In terms of average spend, Madrid remains clearly ahead among the most active provinces, with €566.09 in 2025. Barcelona follows at €504.30, and Málaga at €404.68. Valencia averages €357.84, and Seville €329.75. The study also highlights that Madrid has been the province with the largest increase in average ticket both in the last year and over the five-year span.
The average age also indicates that online shopping is deeply rooted among adult consumers. In the five most representative provinces, buyers belong to the Generation X: Barcelona has the highest mean age at 49; Valencia, 47; Madrid, 45; Málaga, 44; and Seville, 43.
This snapshot dispels the myth that e-commerce is dominated solely by young people. The Spanish digital shopper is now well integrated across middle age, with higher purchasing power and more demanding expectations regarding delivery, customer service, and problem resolution.
Logistics Remains the Biggest Challenge
The most problematic aspect in the report is the complaints. Over half of consumers complain about logistical issues. The leading reason is delivery times, accounting for 39.73% of complaints, and this is also the only major reason that grew compared to 2024, with an 11.15% increase. Incomplete or incorrect deliveries account for another 13.45%.
The paradox is clear. Consumers trust e-commerce more, spend more, and use online channels more naturally, but the “last mile” still breaks the experience. A store may have a good website, competitive prices, detailed product info, and a recognizable brand, but if the order arrives late, damaged, or incomplete, all that value is lost.
Warranties for goods account for 19.99% of complaints and have seen a slight decrease of nearly two percentage points. Cancellations and returns have decreased more markedly, now at 9.11%, down 29.32% from the previous year. Confianza Online interprets this decline as a sign that purchases are being made more carefully.
This drop in cancellations suggests consumers are less impulsive or better informed, but also that the main issue has shifted from buyer remorse to receiving goods properly. E-commerce has improved in conversion and trust, but there is still room for improvement in delivery execution.
When it comes to resolving issues, a clear pattern emerges: refunds dominate. In 2025, refund solutions account for 68.29% of resolutions, with €1,321,978.75 returned, representing a 48.20% increase over 2024. Over five years, consumers have recovered a total of €3,644,851.72 via refunds.
Effective delivery accounts for 19.51% of solutions, with €377,584.56 in 2025. Repair or replacement accounts for 9.90%, totaling €191,570.74. Other solutions make up roughly 2.3%. The operational message is clear: when something goes wrong, many companies choose to reimburse quickly to close the conflict.
While this fast turnaround benefits consumers, it also exposes a weakness. If the usual solution is to refund, the system is repairing damage after it occurs, not preventing it. For a sector aiming to grow further, the next competitive advantage will not only be selling more but also failing less.
The Spanish e-commerce of 2025 appears more mature, more female, more intergenerational, and more territorially distributed. Ticket prices are rising, mediation is recovering significant sums, and consumers are claiming with greater precision. But the bottleneck remains unchanged: orders must arrive on time, complete, and as promised. Digital trust is built online but confirmed at the doorstep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the IV Study on the Digital Consumer in Spain analyze?
Confianza Online’s study analyzes 15,556 online orders made between 2021 and 2025 that generated complaints resolved through its Mediation Committee. The total economic volume amounts to €5,837,001.72.
What is the average ticket of the digital consumer in 2025?
The average ticket for the analyzed orders reaches €473.86 in 2025, the highest in the last five years. It represents a 32.02% increase compared to 2024 and nearly 50% more than in 2021.
Who shops more online according to the study?
In 2025, women for the first time surpass men in the presence within analyzed online purchases, with 51.08% versus 48.92%. However, the male average ticket remains higher.
What is the main issue with Spanish e-commerce?
Logistics. Delivery delays account for 39.73% of complaints, and incomplete or wrong deliveries make up another 13.45%. More than half of the complaints are related to delivery issues.