Alternative payment methods such as mobile and digital wallets and buy now pay later (BNPL) solutions have reshaped Australia’s e-commerce landscape, overtaking traditional cash and card payments. With a 53% market share in 2024, these digital solutions are driving seamless transactions, fuelling online sales, and reinforcing the sector’s robust growth trajectory, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s E-Commerce Analytics reveals that Australian e-commerce market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% from AUD77.2 billion ($51.3 billion) in 2024 to AUD105.8 billion ($70.3 billion) in 2029, as consumers increasingly shift from offline to online purchases.
Shivani Gupta, Senior Banking and Payments Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “E-commerce sales in Australia have experienced consistent growth in recent years. This growth can be attributed to the availability of secure online payment tools, an increasing number of online shoppers, and the rise of online merchants and payment options. Furthermore, the popularity of online shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Afterpay Day has further fuelled the expansion of e-commerce.”
According to Australia Post, 7.6 million households in Australia made online purchases during November to December 2024, representing a growth rate of 2.4% compared to same period last year. Additionally, the availability of secure payment solutions, such as Mastercard Identity Check, and appealing BNPL options like Afterpay have encouraged consumers to shop online.
GlobalData’s 2024 Financial Services Consumer Survey* reveals that alternative payment solutions dominate e-commerce market in Australia with a combined market share of 53% in 2024.
Gupta explains: “This is a trend that is prevalent in many Asian markets. PayPal is the most preferred payment option, followed by other brands such as Apple Pay. The rising popularity of BNPL solutions is also contributing to the overall ecommerce payments with the most prominent BNPL brands being Afterpay, Zip, and Klarna.”
Payment cards are the second most preferred payment method, with debit, credit and charge, and prepaid cards collectively accounting for 38.7% share in 2024. This can be attributed to the value-added benefits offered on payment cards, including interest free instalment payments, reward programs, cashback, and discounts.
Cash accounted for a share of just 3.1% of e-commerce payments, reflecting the strong use of electronic payment methods in the country.
Gupta concludes: “The uptrend in e-commerce sales is likely to continue over the next few years supported by evolving consumer preferences, improving payment infrastructure, and proliferation of alternative payment solutions. Subsequently, Australia’s e-commerce sales are anticipated to register a growth rate of 8% to reach AUD83.4 billion ($55.4 billion) in 2025.”
