International online shopping continues to grow, but delivery costs, returns and trust are increasingly determining whether shoppers complete their purchases.
DHL’s 2026 E-Commerce Trends Report surveyed 29,000 online shoppers and 5,800 e-commerce businesses across 29 countries. It found that 70% of surveyed shoppers buy internationally, up from 60% in 2025, while 45% make cross-border purchases more than once a month.
Delivery remains the decisive factor
Despite growing demand, the final stage of checkout remains a major obstacle. DHL found that 67% of online shoppers had abandoned a cart because of the delivery offering. Free shipping was the leading factor shoppers said would encourage them to complete a purchase.
Trust matters as much as speed. Seven in ten surveyed shoppers said they would not buy from a brand if they did not trust its delivery and returns provider. The same proportion said they would abandon a cart if their preferred delivery or returns options were unavailable.
Social shopping is still developing
The report identified a gap between sellers and consumers on social platforms. While 63% of surveyed businesses sell through social channels, only 45% of shoppers said they buy through social commerce.
Payments are also becoming more varied. Shoppers used an average of four payment methods, compared with an average of seven offered by businesses. Cards, digital wallets and buy-now-pay-later services remained the broadest area of overlap, while opinions were more divided on crypto payments, subscriptions and biometrics.
What shoppers should consider
Lower overseas prices can be attractive, but shoppers should check delivery estimates, return costs, duties, seller verification and payment protections before completing an international purchase. The report found that fraud remained a particular concern among older cross-border shoppers.
DHL notes that its findings represent surveyed consumers and businesses in selected active e-commerce markets and should not be treated as definitive for every country or demographic.
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