French online commerce continues to progress in value and number of transactions, but shopping behaviors are undergoing profound transformations. The average basket is declining, consumers are splitting their orders, and making more trade-offs. At the same time, the regulatory framework is tightening around ultra-express fashion and environmental transparency. These changes are reshaping shopping trends well beyond mere product novelties.
Tax on imported parcels and ultra-express fashion: what changes for buyers
Since July 2026, the law governing ultra-express fashion imposes new rules on platforms that renew their catalogs at an accelerated pace. The obligations relate to environmental display, production conditions, and the limitation of certain aggressive promotional practices.
The most visible effect concerns the fees applied to small imported parcels. Attendance data published in France indicates a marked decline in the audience of Temu and Shein after this development, although the causal link should be interpreted with caution. For consumers, the final price of these orders has significantly increased.
By browsing Shop Mania news, one can see how these regulatory changes are redistributing the cards between foreign platforms and French brands, which are regaining a form of competitiveness on small amounts.
This tightening does not only concern fast fashion. The European directive 2024/825 on ecological claims makes general or unverifiable environmental promises riskier. Environmental transparency is becoming a commercial obligation, not just a marketing argument. Documented product sheets, with traceability of materials and manufacturing conditions, are gaining an advantage over self-proclaimed labels.
Second-hand textiles: a shopping trend that goes beyond digital
Sales of second-hand clothing, shoes, and home textiles increased in volume and value in 2025 in France. What stands out is that the physical channel remains predominant in second-hand. Thrift stores, consignment shops, and markets weigh even more than digital platforms.
This reality nuances the idea of a market driven exclusively by Vinted or specialized marketplaces. Physical second-hand shops attract an audience that wants to touch, try on, and verify quality before buying. The relationship to second-hand products has changed: it is no longer a purchase constrained by budget, but a choice claimed by a growing segment of consumers.
Brands that integrate a take-back or resale circuit into their offerings capture this demand without outsourcing it to third parties. Several brands are testing second-hand corners in-store, allowing them to maintain customer relationships and control the quality of the items offered.
What second-hand changes for new fashion
The growth of second-hand puts pressure on new collections. Consumers now compare the price of a new garment with that of a similar second-hand piece. For brands, this means that the perceived durability of a product directly influences its resale value, and thus its attractiveness at the time of purchase.
Fashion trends incorporate this logic: timeless pieces, robust materials, and classic cuts are gaining ground against disposable micro-trends.
Declining average basket: how shopping habits are transforming
French e-commerce has progressed overall, but the average basket has declined in 2025. Consumers are placing more orders for smaller amounts. Several factors explain this fragmentation:
- The proliferation of free shipping offers from low thresholds encourages ordering as soon as a need arises, rather than consolidating purchases.
- Flash promotions and private sales create an urgency that favors impulsive small purchases.
- Price comparison between retailers, facilitated by aggregators and browser extensions, encourages optimizing each purchase separately.
This trend has direct consequences on the profitability of online shops. Logistics costs per order do not decrease proportionally to the basket amount. Merchants who do not pass on these costs see their margins shrink.
For buyers, the decline in the average basket reflects a tighter trade-off of expenses, not a decrease in overall consumption. Data shows that the French are buying just as much, if not more, but are distributing their spending differently.
Trending products online: what sells and what stagnates
Home and decoration categories continue to perform well, driven by the persistence of remote work in habits. Wall decoration, artisanal candles, and home textiles represent segments where demand remains strong.
In fashion, capsule collections and collaborations between brands and designers generate attention, but field returns diverge on their actual conversion into sales. Media enthusiasm does not always translate into revenue for shops betting on these novelties.
The role of TikTok in product visibility
TikTok remains a visibility accelerator for certain products, particularly in accessories and beauty. Micro-trends emerge and fade within weeks. For merchants, relying exclusively on these short waves carries the risk of unsold stock if it arrives after the peak of interest.
Brands that stand out combine a stable base of products (classic pieces, quality basics) with a limited rotation of items related to current trends. This hybrid approach limits risk while capturing the traffic generated by social networks.
The shopping landscape in France is now structured around two axes: on one side, regulation, which increases the cost of imported disposable fashion and imposes transparency; on the other, consumers who fragment their purchases, compare more, and integrate second-hand into their routine. Brands and shops that document their products, master their logistics, and offer long-lasting pieces occupy the ground that fast fashion is losing.
