Austria, Israel, and Belgium Top in Cross-Border Ecommerce, with Over 80% of Shoppers Buying from Abroad

The number of people shopping online has surged dramatically over the years, skyrocketing from 1.1 billion in 2017 to a staggering 2.5 billion in 2024. This exponential growth in the user base translates to trillions of dollars being spent each year on products via shopping apps or web shops. Although a significant portion of these users practice cross-border shopping, there are huge differences between the countries.

According to data presented by Stocklytics.com, Austria, Israel, and Belgium top in cross-border ecommerce, with more than 80% of online shoppers buying from abroad.

Austria, Israel, and Belgium Have Twice Higher Cross-Border Ecommerce Rates than the United States, United Kingdom, or Germany

The surge in online shopping over the past years has significantly boosted cross-border ecommerce, with millions of consumers buying products from vendors across the globe. However, there are still significant differences between the countries, with some having much more shoppers purchasing from overseas retailers than others.

According to the latest PPRO Payments and E-commerce Report, Austria is the most popular market for cross-border ecommerce worldwide. Last year, more than eight in ten Austrian digital buyers purchased online from abroad, much more than in most of the world’s largest economies. Israel had the second-highest share of cross-border shoppers, at 85%, 5% more than the third-ranked Belgium.

The report also showed three countries had a much higher share of cross-border ecommerce shoppers than most European countries, China and the United States. For instance, 47% of Britons bought from abroad last year, almost 40% less than in Austria. This share was even lower in Germany and the United States, standing at 43% and 41%, respectively. Statistics show China had 39% of online shoppers who purchased online from abroad, or 8% more than Japan or Greece. On the other hand, Turkey and Czechia showed the lowest cross-border ecommerce usage, at only 15% and 26%, respectively.

Ecommerce Market to Gross Over $4 Trillion This Year

The convenience of global shopping in just a few clicks and the seamless integration of new technologies, which have practically erased the differences between shopping online and going into the brick-and-mortar store, continue to drive double-digit market growth.

According to Statista, the global ecommerce industry is expected to gross over $4 trillion in revenue this year, or 15% more than in 2023. Nearly 20% of that value, or $770 billion, will come from fashion sales, the market’s largest and highest-grossing segment. Food and electronics sales will comprise another 27% of the total ecommerce revenue.

In a global comparison, China and the United States stand out as the world’s two largest ecommerce markets, with no other country coming close. Chinese ecommerce revenues are projected to reach $1.46 trillion in 2024, representing a significant 35% of the industry total in 2024. The United States follows closely with $1.22 trillion and a 30% market share.