E-commerce in Austria 2026

KMU Forschung Austria has produced the ‘E-commerce in Austria 2026’ study, which tracks and analyses consumer behaviour in distance selling.

The results of the study show an e-commerce market volume of around € 12,3 billion (+3 % year-on-year). Around 13 % of retail-related consumer spending is accounted for by e-commerce. Following growth of 17 % in 2024/25, the market has recently been growing at a more moderate pace. E-commerce in Austria in 2026 is in its maturity phase: growth is driven less by new shoppers and more by higher spending per person and improved conversion rates. Average spending stands at around € 2.120 (slightly higher than the previous year).

The highest-selling product categories are clothing (approx. € 2.4 billion), electronics (approx. € 1.5 billion), and furniture and home furnishings (approx. € 1,0 billion). Commercial marketplaces dominate the purchasing channels 71 %, followed by retailer and manufacturer shops or apps 62 %; social commerce 8 %, live shopping 7 %, and voice shopping 4 %.

54 % of online shoppers (approx. € 3,1 million) made at least one return during the year. Fashion is a major driver of the returns rate, with other product categories lagging significantly behind. The smartphone is the norm: 80 % use it to search for information and 71 % to complete a purchase. Mobile spending is set to rise from € 2,35 billion (2023) to around € 5,4 billion (2026), with its share growing from 24 to 44 %.

We expect growth to be largely incremental over the next few years. Additional momentum will come primarily from a gradual shift in consumer spending towards the online channel. For SMEs, this means, in practical terms: radically simplifying the mobile checkout process, reducing returns through better product information and fit guides, and making visible use of AI as a shopping assistant – not as a black box. Customer trust has become the key currency in e-commerce.