Overview
Austria is now ranked as the 26th largest market worldwide for eCommerce according to eCommerceDB GmbH. After a post-pandemic slowdown, the market rebounded: total eCommerce expenditure rose by about 14% to approximately $13.5 billion between May 2024 and April 2025. The average yearly per capita online spend also increased substantially, reaching $2,250), while the share of online shopping in overall retail-related spending rose to 15.5%.
The number of Austrians buying online has stabilized at around 6 million adults aged 15 and above, in line with previously reported figures. International platforms continue to dominate, with about 51% of eCommerce expenditures made at foreign online stores, a share that increases to 58% among 15–29-year-olds. Amazon.de remains the clear market leader with sales of $1.3 billion in 2024, followed by Zalando, ikea.com, mediamarkt.at, and apple.com
In terms of sector breakdown, electronics continue to represent the largest share of Austrian eCommerce (22%), followed by fashion (20%), hobby/leisure (18%), furniture/homeware (14%), DIY (10%), care products (9%), and groceries (5%). Austrian online shoppers increasingly use mobile devices for purchases, with 56% shopping via smartphone, and product returns remain common, especially in clothing categories (return rates up to 47%). Amazon and eBay still account for the strongest marketplace presence among Austria’s top 100 online stores.
Legal & Regulatory
As of July 1, 2021, the EU implemented VAT changes for online sales for EU consumers. that should simplify the process for vendors and be more transparent for consumers. All goods entering the EU are now subject to VAT, removing the previous exemption for low-value goods under €22. The European Commission introduced the “Import One Stop Shop” (IOSS), which streamlines VAT obligations for eCommerce vendors selling to EU consumers. This allows businesses to register for VAT electronically in one EU Member State and ensure VAT is paid to the Member State of the customer. In 2023, over 9,000 companies registered in the IOSS system, and the EC reported an increase in VAT collection efficiency by more than 20% compared with pre-form levels. For more details, please visit https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_3098.
The European Commission has been monitoring the digital progress of the EU Member States through its Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), though from 2023 onward DESI has been incorporated into the broader Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 monitoring framework. This report includes a European-level analysis of broadband connectivity, digital skills, internet use, digitization of businesses, digital public services, emerging technologies, cybersecurity, ICT sector and R&D spending. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of digital assets and connectivity across Europe’s economy. In the most recent DESI 2023 report, Austria ranked 14th among EU countries with an overall score of 50.3, showing a decline compared to 2022. Austria performed above the EU average in digital skills but lagged in fixed very high-capacity broadband coverage. Details about Austria’s digital infrastructure and capacities in DESI 2023 can be found at: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/desi-austria.
Data Privacy under the guidelines of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and VAT considerations should be examined when establishing an eCommerce sales channel for Austria. The EU’s VAT system is semi-harmonized. While guidelines are established at the EU level, the implementation of VAT policy is the prerogative of each Member State. The EU VAT Directive allows Member States to apply a minimum 15% VAT rate, with some exceptions. As of September 2025, Austria applies a standard VAT rate of 20%, with reduced rates of 10% and 13% for certain goods and services.
Furthermore, from 2024 onward, Austria has also implemented the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), which directly impact eCommerce platforms and larger digital intermediaries. The DSA imposes new obligations on online platforms regarding the removal of illegal content, transparency of advertising, and systematic risk assessments, while the DMA enforces stricter anti-monopoly and consumer fairness rules on large online “gatekeepers”. For Austrian eCommerce vendors, this means stricter compliance with platform-hosting responsibilities and digital advertising transparency.
For further details on the GDPR and EU eCommerce Directives, please consult the U.S. Commercial European Union Country Commercial Guide and Commercial Service experts at the U.S. Mission to the EU.
Consumer Behavior
Sixty-six percent of online shoppers in Austria research online when planning a major purchase, mainly using smartphones or tablets. The mobile shopping trend has continued to grow, with 27% of online purchases in 2024 made via smartphones, up from 23% in 2022. The average Austrian spent approximately $1,100 per person on eCommerce in 2024, though growth has slightly slowed, with overall online retail expenditure in Austria increasing by only 1.5% compared with 2023.
Fifty-seven percent of online shoppers find customer reviews helpful for decision-making. Twelve percent of Austrian consumers have Internet-based personal assistants such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. However, fewer than 30,000 consumers use Alexa other Internet-based personal assistants for orders in online trading so far in 2025 and the number is declining.
Social media remains a key factor in purchase inspiration and online marketing. As of 2025, YouTube is the most used social network with 69%, followed by Facebook (65%), Instagram (63%) and TikTok (42%).
In 2024, about a third (34%) of online purchases in Austria were paid by credit or debit cards, whereas Mastercard makes up around 78% of the card market share. Other payment methods are bank transfers (30%) with Electronic Payment Systems (EPS), e-Wallets (28%) led by PayPal, and cash (2.5%). Payments via invoice/installment and SEPA direct debits are also common in Austria. ”Buy now, pay later” services, such as Klarna and Ratepay, grew to cover nearly 7% of transactions in 2024.
Product returns remain high, with 48% of Austrian online shoppers sending back at least some items purchases online in 2024. The most frequently returned products are clothing (37%), shoes (20%) and bags & accessories (9%). Environmentally conscious, sustainable shopping behavior is also becoming an increasingly important topic in eCommerce. So far in 2025, 47% of Austrians consider eco-friendly packaging and regional sourcing in their eCommerce choices, increasing the demand for local vendors and short delivery chains. Amazon, Zalando, and Austrian online retailers have responded by highlighting “regional” product sections and climate-neutral delivery options.
While most eCommerce orders are delivered directly to the consumer, if offered by the vendor, some consumers opt to pick up products from the store in person. According to eCommerceDB, the leading shipping service providers for eCommerce in Austria are Österreichische Post (38%), DHL (25%) Click & Collect (26%), and the French-owned DPD “Dynamic Parcel Distribution” (21%). Austria’s transportation infrastructure is sophisticated and allows for ease of delivery including in rural regions where one-third of the population lives. Major international logistics firms such as Gebrueder Weiss GmbH, LKW Walter Internationale Transportorganisation AG and Cargo-Partner Group Holding AG have their headquarters in Austria.
The Austrian Retail Association (Handelsverband) offers services and events to encourage eCommerce growth including its annual Commerce-Day where current trends and challenges in online retail are discussed. The next eCommerce-Day will take place in June 2026, in Vienna. Highlights of the event can be viewed here: https://www.handelsverband.at/events/ecommerce-day/ecommerce-day-2025/.