With the ABS data showing that Australian retail spending remained resilient in October, rising 5.7% year-on-year to $38.50 billion in 2025, one thing is clear: the ecommerce landscape in Australia is evolving and even getting more prominent in 2026. No wonder Australia’s ecommerce market revenue is expected to reach US$3,266.7 million by 2030.
With such big numbers, it becomes evident that there’s no better time for ecommerce to thrive in Australia. However, to truly excel in this dynamic landscape, it’s crucial to understand the context comprehensively.
Here, we have brought together the most current Australian ecommerce statistics for 2026 to ensure you stay informed about emerging trends and consumer behaviour driven by data.
Driven in part by a surge in internet usage worldwide in recent years, the global ecommerce retail sector experienced remarkable growth, and global retail ecommerce sales are forecast to reach about 8.1 trillion dollars by 2026. Among the leading countries based on retail ecommerce sales growth in 2023, Australia was one of the key players, with a sales growth rate of 20%.
Here are the top 11 countries based on retail ecommerce sales growth.
Source: Statista
Australia ranks as the 14th largest player in the ecommerce market, poised to generate an impressive $36,825.2 million in revenue by 2023. In 2023, Australian ecommerce was expected grow by 6.3%, contributing to the global 9.6% increase and the revenue is expected to come with a projected compound annual ecommerce growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 9.7%, propelling the market volume to an estimated $53,339.9 million by 2027.
Source: ecommerceDB
When fashion and beauty rank among the most popular online retail categories in 2023, clothing, shoes and fashion reigned as the top online purchases, with 71% of online shoppers buying these online.
Source: IAB Australia
With a record of 82% of Australian households making an online purchase in the last year, which represents 9.4 million households, one thing is clear: Australians love online shopping. In 2023, the average purchase rate was up 3.9% from last year. So, the purchase frequency has improved. Especially during sale events, more households are buying online.
Source: Australia Post
Online shoppers have maintained their frequency of shopping online over the last year. Approximately 6 out of 10 individuals, equivalent to 59% of respondents, consistently engage in online shopping every 2 to 3 weeks, demonstrating a sustained frequency of online shopping habits over the past year.
In an era marked by the detrimental environmental impacts of fast fashion and the rise of technologies such as NFTs, sustainability is increasingly a crucial staple for shoppers. Many Australian consumers are awakening to the paramount importance of sustainability in their purchasing decisions.
Hence, a prominent shift towards sustainability has emerged as the biggest change to the retail landscape, as people want marketers, retailers, and brands to be more transparent about their products’ sources and sustainability.
In 2023, even if convenience holds its position as the top motivator for online purchases, a decline has been seen compared to the previous years, while discounts and price comparisons are becoming the key drivers for online shopping this year. Alongside lower prices, click and collect, and fast shipping have also significantly increased as reasons for buying online.
Convenience and cost savings are the two top essentials that online shoppers want when it comes to online shopping. 59% of consumers actively seek out online discounts or promotional codes directly from the retailers themselves, 32% favour physical coupons from coupon books or receipts, and 23% opt for cash rewards to save.
Australia has one of the world’s highest rates of pet ownership, with over two-thirds of Australian households owning a pet. With the rising trend of pets being treated as family members, households are allocating a greater portion of their budgets towards providing the best for their furry companions, which results in increased expenditures on premium pet foods, specialised dietary supplements and vitamins, fashionable pet accessories, delectable treats, etc.
So, industry revenue is expected to increase at an annualised 3.8% over the five years through 2023-24 to $3.7 billion.
Source: IBIS World
While nine out of ten online shoppers are enrolled in at least one rewards program, 44% of them have four or more cards. Loyalty programs are becoming increasingly important, with 62% of online shoppers increasing their usage as they look to enhance their shopping experience while saving money.
PayPal is the most used online payment method in Australia. The data shows that PayPal is the top choice for online shoppers of all ages in Australia. It shares the lead with credit cards among Gen X shoppers. This preference surpasses the popularity of more conventional financial products like credit cards (26%), debit cards (14%) and other options, such as Apple Pay, BNPL, and direct debit.
Source: PayPal ecommerce index
Mobile commerce is a significant growth frontier in Australian ecommerce, with mobile transactions accounting for 26.4% of all ecommerce transactions, marking a 28.8% year-on-year increase. And if we notice the frequency of mobile shopping among customers, most customers who make online purchases through their smartphones tend to do so on a monthly basis.
Source: Mordor Intelligence
As shoppers accept deliveries to come faster, omnichannel retail has become the point of innovation that empowers both brick-and-mortar and online businesses to fortify their resilience within an ever-changing shopping landscape. Many ecommerce companies are doing omnichannel fulfilment work to deal with customer needs.
Due to the recent upsurge in the cost of living, 4 in 10 online shoppers between the ages of 18 and 39 have increased their usage of online shopping. Overall, 32% of individuals have escalated their engagement in online shopping, while 19% have decreased their usage.
Ecommerce in Australia witnessed a remarkable surge in 2022, and its momentum shows no signs of slowing down. Projections indicate that this thriving sector had achieved a substantial milestone, with $43.21 billion in sales in 2023.
Also, it is expected to flourish at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.41% over the coming years, ultimately reaching an astonishing sales figure of $64.18 billion by the year 2027.
In 2022, the majority of customers planned to make at least one purchase through social shopping, and the trend didn’t slow down. Forecasts show the count of consumers in Australia who use social media for online shopping had increased to 6.4 million by 2024 as they plan to use shopping features within a platform (Instagram Shops, Facebook Shops, TikTok Shopping, etc.).
Suppose businesses can leverage Instagram Shop for a distinctive shopping experience, complete with product tutorials and easy in-app checkout. Customers can also reach out via direct messages for any queries.
In 2023, experts estimate that the user penetration rate had stabilised at an impressive 76.0%. Peering further into the future, indications point towards a continuous increase, with projections aiming for it to land at approximately 77.6% by 2027. This consistent rise in user penetration reveals a favourable and enduring growth outlook.
Online marketplace Amazon play a major role in Australian ecommerce. Overall, 52% of Australian online shoppers have purchased from Amazon in the past 12 months. Marketplace usage is especially high among younger shoppers. Australians aged 18–29 are the most active marketplace buyers, with 62% purchasing from Amazon, followed by 56% of shoppers aged 30–39.
This data shows that nearly one-third of online shoppers are actively seeking Australian-made goods, driven by factors such as trust in local quality, faster delivery times, ethical production, and a desire to support local businesses and the national economy.
For retailers, this trend shows a strong opportunity as clearly labelling Australian-made products, highlighting local supply chains, and promoting “made in Australia” messaging can have a great influence on purchasing decisions. Since competition in ecommerce increases, local identity and authenticity are becoming powerful trust signals that can improve conversion rates and customer loyalty.
Ecommerce industry revenue in Australian online shopping comes from several key product and service categories, including homewares and domestic appliances, clothing, footwear and personal accessories, and groceries and liquor. Among these segments, homewares and domestic appliances generate the highest share of online revenue.
Source: IBIS world
If compared with traditional branded goods, private label products that are sold under a retailer’s own brand experience faster growth. It almost grows at twice the rate of branded products. This shows that private labels are not seen as budget substitutes but as credible, value-driven options across categories such as groceries, home essentials, and personal care.
Source: Oracle
As the ecommerce industry continues to grow and consumers seek convenient and diverse shopping options, marketplaces remain a vital part of Australia’s retail landscape. A survey by Statista revealed that American-based marketplaces eBay and Amazon are the top choices for Australian online shoppers, with 60 per cent and 52 per cent of respondents, respectively.
Local platforms like Kmart, Coles, and JB Hi-Fi have also gained traction. So, if we list the most visited marketplace websites in Australia, it will include
With the rising shift of businesses towards ecommerce while distancing themselves from traditional brick-and-mortar establishments, there will certainly be more competition. However, by implementing the right strategy and using data in the right place, you can set your ecommerce business to thrive.
So, no matter whether you’re already running an ecommerce store or planning to start one in Australia, the mentioned statistics and information are definitely a key read for you.
How many ecommerce sites are there?
If we consider globally, there are around millions of ecommerce websites, ranging from small niche stores to large marketplaces. Also, there are many new stores that are launching daily.
How many online businesses are there?
The number of online businesses exceeds tens of millions worldwide. It covers ecommerce stores, service-based websites, digital products, and subscription platforms.
How many people use online shopping?
Online shopping is now mainstream, with billions of people globally making purchases online at least once a year.
Which ecommerce platform is best?
There is no platform called the “best” platform. It fully depends on the business size and goals. Some platforms suit small to mid-sized businesses, while some work well for WordPress users or for larger, more complex operations.
What percentage of shopping is done online?
Online shopping accounts for around one-fifth of total global retail ecommerce sales. The percentage of shares is in continuous growth each year.
How many people are shopping online?
More than half of the world’s internet users are now actively shopping online, which makes it one of the most widely adopted digital behaviours today.
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