E‑commerce in Austria
Austria's e-commerce market is dynamic, international and is growing solidly. Consumers expect a wide range of payment methods, prefer convenient home delivery and value uncomplicated return processes. The market leadership of international platforms such as Amazon and Zalando remains unbroken, while regional marketplaces and sustainability trends are becoming increasingly important.
Der Austrian market auf einen Blick
Purchasing power
Purchasing power per capita in Austria in 2024 is around 29,266 euros, ranking the country sixth in Europe and well ahead of Germany. This makes Austria one of the countries with the highest purchasing power in the EU; the figures are distributed relatively evenly across the regions, with Lower Austria leading the way at EUR 30,707 per capita and Vienna bringing up the rear at EUR 27,328.
Internet use and consumer behavior
Austria is a mature market with high purchasing power and a strong openness to international providers.
- 95.3 % of the population are online - around 8.7 million potential customers
- 97 % of them shop online - preferably fashion, shoes and beauty
- 94 % of 65 to 79 year olds also regularly use e-commerce
- Mobile commerce is growing- especially among young buyers in fashion & electronics
- 75 % buy from foreign shops - Germany is the clear favourite
Preferred payment methods
Variety in the checkout is a must. Purchase on account remains the preferred payment method, but digital options are catching up:
- Invoice: 27 %
- E-wallets (e.g. PayPal): 26 %
- Credit card: 19 %
- Online transfer: 9 %
- Debit card: 6 %
- SEPA direct debit: 4 %
Most popular marketplaces and shops
The market is strongly influenced by international platforms, but local providers and sustainable alternatives are also gaining relevance:
- Amazon - generalist
- willhaben.at - classified ads
- Zalando.at - fashion
- ikea.com - furniture & living
- universal.at - generalist
- shop-apotheke.at - drugstore & pharmacy
- bestsecret.at - fashion
Regional platforms: Shoepping.at, Beeanco, Markta
Last-mile carriers and delivery preferences
Those who meet customer expectations in terms of reliability and clarity secure decisive competitive advantages in the Austrian market.
- Delivery preference: home delivery after work is the most popular
- Delivery time: 63 % expect delivery in 2-3 days, 33 % accept 4-5 days, only 4 % expect next-day delivery
- Transparency: clear information on shipping costs and delivery time is mandatory
- Most popular logistics service provider: Austrian Post (59%)
Returns
- Return rate: 42 % of online shoppers have returned an order at least once in 2024
- One in five items is returned; 83 % use the right of return
- Free returns: decisive for 35 % of purchases
- Returns preferred via: Post (AT), parcel shops and home pickups
Tax requirements: delivery rhreshold and OSS procedure
Taxes play a central role in cross-border e-commerce. The following requirements apply for sales to Austria:
- Delivery threshold:
From an annual turnover of 10,000 euros in other EU countries, VAT is due in the respective destination country - including Austria.
- OSS procedure (One-Stop-Shop):
Through the OSS, companies can report and transfer their EU-wide sales centrally via the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) — without separate registrations in each individual country.
With exporto, your tax data is integrated into the shipping process. We process and transmit OSS reports - seamlessly, automatically and reliably. This leaves more time for what counts: your growth in other EU countries.
All services from a single source
From customer-friendly delivery options to seamless returns management to real-time tracking and data-based analyses — exporto combines all services for your international growth in one end-to-end solution.
Kurze Abwicklungszeiten
Bieten Sie Ihren Kunden in Europa eine herausragende Customer Experience – durch kürzeste Abwicklungszeiten, individuelle Versandoptionen für jedes Zielland und Zustellungen durch die beliebtesten Last-Mile-Carrier.
Nahtlose Integration
Dank einfacher API-Integration fügen sich unsere Services nahtlos in Ihr bestehendes Set-Up ein – flexibel, individuell und mit minimalem technischen Aufwand.
Volle Transparenz
Mit Hilfe eines intuitiven Dashboards behalten Sie den Status Ihrer internationalen Sendungen in Echtzeit im Blick – mit automatisierter Datensynchronisation für maximale Transparenz.
Partner, die unsere Lösung im Austrian market ergänzen
VDS Fulfillment
VDS Fulfillment offers tailor-made eCommerce logistics solutions centrally from the heart of Germany: fulfilment, personalisation, shipping of advertising materials - all from a single source.
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Contcept Communication
Contcept Communication is a communications agency based in Zurich and Lausanne. We make companies visible with PR, influencer marketing and social media.
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B&S Logistik
B+S GmbH Logistik und Dienstleistungen, based in Borgholzhausen, is a full-service provider for customised logistics and service concepts. byrd gives e-commerce brands access to a European logistics network that enables them to scale efficiently and
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Byrd
byrd gives e-commerce brands access to a European logistics network that enables them to scale efficiently and significantly improve their customer experience.
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Mollie
Simple payments and financial management for all companies: online payments, POS payments, recurring payments, invoicing, platform payments within Europe.
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OTE
As an experienced Microsoft partner, we deliver well thought-out ERP solutions based on Dynamics 365 Business Central. We specialize in the retail and e-commerce business for food and fashion retailers.
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plentyONE
plentyONE is the all-in-one platform whose range of functions covers the entire depth and breadth of the digital value chain in e-commerce - scalable & smart.exporto as a direct point of contact
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T4DT
T4DT GmbH develops smart software solutions and optimizes business processes with a focus on automation and artificial intelligence
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Taxdoo
Taxdoo automatisiert Buchhaltung und Umsatzsteuer für Onlinehändler – GoBD-konform, DATEV-ready und ideal für EU-Meldungen. Weniger Aufwand, mehr Transparenz.
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VCE Solutions
With our shipping platform, we ensure automated and transparent shipping and returns processing in e-commerce and retail. VCE GmbH | Innovative team. Smart solutions.
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Mit unserer End‑to‑End‑Lösung bekommen Sie alle Services aus einer Hand: Logistik, Steuer, Zoll und Software. Alles perfekt aufeinander abgestimmt und so einfach wie "Plug & Play".
Marvin Schwarz
Senior Business Development Representative
