🇪🇸 Spain’s eCommerce Boom

👋 Hey Loopers,

How’s everyone doing?

Back when I was a kid, shopping meant spending hours wandering around El Corte Inglés (think Macy’s, but with even more escalators), dodging perfume spritzers, and negotiating a pit stop at the food court. Fast forward to today, and half the country is filling their carts from the couch; no spritzers, no queues, just one click and listo.

Spain’s eCommerce scene is having its main character moment, and as a proud Spanish founder, I couldn’t be more excited. With over 30 million online shoppers, eCommerce sales are soaring past 100€ billion, and everyone, from my grandpa to my cousin’s dog groomer, is shopping online.

In this edition, we’ll be exploring:

Spain’s eCommerce scene is having its main character moment, and as a proud Spanish founder, I’m here for it. After years of slow burns and cautious clicks, Spanish consumers are officially swiping right on online shopping, and data proves it.

In 2025, Spanish eCommerce is expected to grow 5.4%, which might not sound like Taylor Swift ticket levels of excitement, but in the world of logistics and digital carts, that’s a pretty big deal.

With more than 30 million online shoppers (that’s over half the population), and each of them spending an average of 3,300€ a year, Spain is not just sipping sangria they’re clicking 'Buy Now' too. Total eCommerce sales hit €100 billion in 2023, and the party is just getting started.

Spain isn’t just a tourist hotspot, it’s eCommerce gold for brands ready to adapt to the new digital habits of Spanish shoppers. Whether you’re a DTC beauty brand or a premium electronics store, one thing’s clear:

✨ The easier you make it to buy (and subscribe), the faster you’ll grow.

If Spain had an eCommerce Hall of Fame, Zara wouldn’t just have a plaque, they’d have the whole wing dedicated to them. According to Kantar BrandZ, Zara is set to be Spain’s most valuable brand in 2025, with a cool €32.8 billion valuation. Not too shabby for a brand that built its empire convincing us we needed that blazer in three colors.

But here’s the twist: remember when Zara was the villain of fast fashion? Those were simpler times. Now, with ultra-fast fashion giants (yes, we’re looking at you, Shein) flooding the market with €3 tops and same-day microtrends, Zara’s starting to feel almost... wholesome?

Let’s give credit where it’s due, Zara isn’t just coasting on their legacy. By 2025, 100% of their cotton, linen, and polyester will be organic, sustainable, or recycled. And then there’s Zara Pre-Owned, their second-hand platform that’s quietly reshaping how customers engage with fashion.

It’s the kind of circular ecosystem we didn’t know we needed, and suddenly the brand that once embodied fast fashion is giving sustainability a real shot. Compared to Shein’s race-to-the-bottom prices and product churn so aggressive it could give you whiplash, Zara’s starting to look like the responsible older sibling. Still fast, but at least trying to clean up their room.

Next year, expect Zara to double down on their omnichannel domination strategy, seamlessly blending physical stores, online, app-based shopping, and live-stream events into one giant “take my money” machine. Whether you’re sipping coffee at their new Zara Man Hermosilla flagship in Madrid (yes, there’s an in-store café, because vibes matter) or using the Zara app’s self-checkout feature, the brand is making sure that buying is always fast and returning (or reselling) is just as easy.

@hey.barcelona

Very stylish with tasty croissants 🥐 💌

Look, Zara’s not a sustainability saint, we all know that. But in a world where ultra-fast fashion platforms are pumping out 6,000 new items a day, Zara’s pivot toward circularity, repair programs, and eco-friendly materials feels... refreshing. At least they’re reading the room.

The takeaway? If even Zara — the original fast fashion disruptor — can embrace the circular economy, there’s hope for the rest of retail!!!

What does it take to run a truly profitable online store? Spoiler: it’s not just about ads and email marketing. We sat down with Javier and Aaron, founders of Gentelcy, to talk about what really moves the needle for online stores. From avoiding the biggest profitability mistakes to mastering customer retention and subscription models, they break down the strategies every store should be thinking about in 2025.

What inspired you to launch your ecommerce consulting agency and how has it evolved since its origins?

J&A: We met at university while studying Business Administration. Our goal was to graduate knowing how to create a business. Spoiler: we didn’t. Once we realized that, we started researching how to create something, even if we didn’t know exactly what. To learn, we did social media management for local restaurants and we even collaborated with virtual reality companies. But we soon realized we didn’t want to be a conventional marketing agency focused on ads and email marketing. We had a broader knowledge base that we could leverage. That’s why we created what we call growth. Instead of being a typical agency or consultancy, we aid online stores with their entire process: mindset, accounting, strategic planning, stock, etc. And once everything is in place we start working on traffic sources tailored to each business. After trying different sectors that didn’t quite fit our model, we found that eCommerce aligned perfectly with our skills and the value we could offer.

What are some common mistakes you notice in online stores in terms of strategy and profitability? How can these errors be solved?

J&A: The #1 mistake is not keeping proper track of accounting, due to lack of knowledge or simply because they focus on daily operations without long-term sustainability.If an online store doesn’t understand its finances, it can’t make informed decisions based on what really matters: how much money it can invest.

A common complaint we hear is: “Advertising doesn’t work.”
The truth is, advertising does work, but only if the person managing it understands the store’s accounting and profit margins. Not knowing how much you can afford to pay per customer while remaining profitable is like playing baseball blindfolded, you might hit the ball just once in a thousand tries.

Another major mistake: not focusing on repeat purchases. The real business lies in customer loyalty. To keep them coming back. Retention strategies, like email, WhatsApp, or SMS marketing, are crucial because they drive sales without additional ad costs. Selling to existing customers is up to 10 times cheaper than acquiring new ones, so it’s essential to take advantage of that.

What advice do you have for a store that wishes to implement subscription models or recurrence strategies successfully?

J&A: Create a subscription model that benefits both the business and the customer. Not a one-sided profit. Track purchase frequency and customer lifetime value (LTV). Not just how often customers return, but for how long. And offer a value proposition that exceeds the subscription price. For example, free shipping, brand gifts, or partnerships with other brands targeting the same audience.

How do you think the ecommerce world will develop and evolve in the coming years?

J&A: In reality, advertising costs will continue to rise as competition grows. Eventually, acquiring customers profitably (on their first purchase) will become quite difficult. Businesses should take advantage of this moment to acquire as many customers as possible profitably, considering current ad costs.  eCommerce businesses that don’t start focusing on profitability, optimizing customer experience, and implementing strong retention strategies will struggle to survive in the market.

Ecomm Brunch Collective: As a proud Spanish founder, I know that some of the best ideas (and partnerships) happen over coffee and croissants. That’s why I want to personally invite you to the very first edition of this event, a monthly get-together for eCommerce pros, founders, marketers, and anyone who loves talking shop (and maybe some gossip too). March 13. Madrid, Spain.

Shoptalk: ​The must-attend retail event of the year is here. Join 10,000+ leaders from the world’s top retailers, consumer brands, and tech innovators, with 1 in 3 attendees at the C-suite level, ensuring you’re connecting directly with the decision-makers shaping the industry. March 25-27. Las Vegas, US.

The Economist Sustainability Week: This event returns for its 10th anniversary, bringing together 1500+ industry leaders, from CSOs to CEOs, to drive real action on sustainability and help businesses become sustainable faster. March 10-12. London, UK.

Are you passionate about sustainability and looking for your dream job? Here are a couple of exciting options:

• Project Specialist Sostenibilidad at  Mahou.

• Global Sustainability Consultant at Ranstad.

• Senior Sustainability & Community Impact Manager at Heineken.

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See you next week!! 🕺🏽💚