E‑commerce in the UK

The UK is one of Europe's e-commerce markets with the highest turnover. Purchasing power is above the EU average and online demand remains consistently high: annual sales growth of around 5% is forecast until 2027.

Since Brexit, there have been new framework conditions for cross-border trade. Companies that set up their processes efficiently and understand the market gain a clear competitive advantage.

95 % of the population are regularly online. Over 50 million people shop online, which corresponds to approx. 73 % of total population. 80 % of them shop online at least once a month.

In British e-commerce, debit cards (Visa, Mastercard) dominate sales, closely followed by digital wallets (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay). Credit cards are used much less frequently, while Buy Now, Pay Later offers (Klarna, Clearpay) have become more important and continue to grow. Direct debits and bank transfers are used primarily for subscriptions and recurring payments.

British online retail is heavily driven by marketplaces - at the same time, the market has been one of the most complex in Europe since Brexit. Technical integrations, tax requirements and customs-related processes pose challenges for many providers.

With exporto as a partner, you are well prepared to Transact cross‑border transactions to the UK quickly and easily.

A broad carrier portfolio, flexible delivery options and transparent communication are critical to meeting the high expectations of British e-commerce customers.

As a long-established company, Royal Mail enjoys a wide reach throughout the UK and is particularly popular in rural and remote areas.

Evri (formerly Hermes UK), offers a cost-effective option with broad coverage across the UK.

The return rate in the UK is between 20 and 30%, and even higher in the fashion segment, which is well above the European average.

One of the reasons for this is the high proportion of fast fashion and a pronounced buy-to-try mentality. However, 79% of fashion retailers charge return fees.

Customer expectations are clear: easy return options, quick refunds and transparent processes.