Expand your reach to ANZ
How shoppers in Australia and New Zealand like to purchase and pay online, cross-border.
Get inside the minds of shoppers in ANZ. Find out what they’re buying, where they’re shopping, and how they prefer to pay, so you can give them exactly what they want.
Download the eGuide to get practical steps on how to expand your payments to ANZ. Or, scroll down to view the insights.
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US$66.42 billion
The eCommerce market in Australia and New Zealand combined is expected to grow to US$66.42 billion by 2029.1
We partnered with Statista to survey 2,000 online shoppers across Australia and New Zealand to find out about their cross-border purchasing preferences and habits. Here’s what we found out:
The good news for international sellers
of shoppers in ANZ are comfortable buying a product from another country.
Percentage of shoppers comfortable with buying a product from another country:
Gen Z and
Millennials
Gen X
Baby
Boomers
Total
25%
50%
75%
100%
0%
The who, what, where, and when of shopping habits in ANZ
Shopping habits vary by gender
Fashion, electronics, and books are among the most popular cross-border purchases, but men and women shop differently. 71% of women buy fashion online, compared to 51% of men, while 59% of men purchase electronics, compared to just 31% of women. Skincare and beauty products are also a clear favourite among women, with 50% making purchases in this category, compared to 24% of men.
Younger shoppers also stand out for their taste in luxury. 21% of Gen Z and Millennials buy luxury goods online, while older generations show little interest, with only 9% making similar purchases.
Top online purchase categories by gender
80%
40%
60%
20%
New Zealand
Australia
ANZ
Fashion and
apparel
Electronics
Skincare and
beauty products
Books and
games
Home and
furniture
Food and beverages
Luxury
products
0%
Most shoppers in ANZ buy from marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Trade Me, with 71% of Australians preferring this channel. But New Zealand stands out as a real outlier. Shoppers are almost equally split between marketplaces (54%) and direct purchases (43%), making it one of the few global eCommerce markets where buying directly from a merchant’s website is just as popular.
Where shoppers in ANZ typically make cross-border purchases
Marketplaces dominate cross-border shopping
19%
4%
77%
of shoppers in ANZ plan purchases around key holiday moments.
Shopping with the seasons
Over half of shoppers plan purchases around major sales moments like Black Friday, Boxing Day, Cyber Monday, and New Year sales. This jumps among younger shoppers, with 82% of Gen Z and Millennials in Australia planning purchases around key holiday sales. If you’re not running promotions during these moments, you’re missing out.
83%
They expect clear pricing in their local currencies, a secure experience, and the ability to pay via their preferred methods.
Shoppers in ANZ have high expectations at checkout
Younger shoppers want more
of Gen Z and Millennials say influencer recommendations impact their buying decisions, compared to just 16% of older generations.
of younger shoppers say that the availability of BNPL influences their decision to buy from international merchants.
50%
65%
Discover common challenges and smart strategies to build a checkout experience that converts.
Cross-border payments: How to expand to ANZ
Shoppers in Australia overwhelmingly prefer digital payment methods for international purchases (57%), followed by credit cards (38%) and debit cards (34%). In New Zealand, credit cards lead at 55%, followed by debit cards (48%) and digital wallets (35%).
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is another key trend. 38% of Gen Z and Millennials prefer BNPL at checkout, making it an essential option for businesses looking to attract younger customers.
Digital payment methods are on the rise
Preferred payment methods when buying online from another country
80%
40%
60%
20%
ANZ
Australia
New Zealand
Credit card
Debit card
Bank transfer
Digital payment methods
(e.g. Google Pay)
Buy now,
pay later options
(e.g. Klarna)
0%
Fashion, electronics, and skincare and beauty are the top categories where shoppers use BNPL. If you’re selling these products, BNPL is a must-have at checkout.
of Gen Z and Millennials agree that the availability of BNPL as a payment method encourages them to make purchases they would not have made otherwise.
of Gen Z and Millennials would shop elsewhere if BNPL weren’t available as a payment method at checkout.
The rise of buy now, pay later (BNPL)
59%
52%
A familiar checkout experience remains key for shoppers in ANZ
96%
say that pricing in local currency is one of the most important aspects of the checkout experience.
say that being able to pay via their preferred payment methods is an important checkout feature.
Download the eGuide to learn:
Your next cross-border opportunity could be just around the corner. Find out why payments are the lynchpin of your expansion strategy, and how you can start making and receiving payments in ANZ.
Ready to expand your reach to ANZ?
1
How to open a business account without having to set up an entity in ANZ
3
How to settle payments in your preferred currency, including AUD or NZD
2
How to accept payments via multiple payment options in AUD or NZD
4
How to save on FX fees and stay secure and compliant with local regulations
Airwallex partnered with Statista to survey cross-border eCommerce shoppers, defined as anyone who has shopped internationally in the last 12 months through any type of online shop, such as marketplaces or directly from a merchant’s website. The survey included 1,000 respondents from Australia and 1,000 from New Zealand, and was completed in January 2025. Our goal was to understand how shoppers in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) purchase when buying online from another country. Our survey participants come from diverse backgrounds and age ranges, representing a typical sample of shoppers within the region.
In our insights:
Gen Z refers to those born between 1997–2012
Millennials refer to those born between 1981–1996
Gen X refers to those born between 1965–1980
Baby Boomers refer to those born between 1946–1964
About the research
eCommerce platform marketplaces
Merchant websites
Social media
Expand your reach
to the US
Cross-border payment trends: How shoppers in the US like to purchase and pay online
Or download the eGuide to get practical steps to set up payments, cut foreign exchange (FX) costs, stay compliant, and keep cash flow healthy.
Get inside the minds of US shoppers. Find out how they’re buying cross-border, online: what they’re buying, where they’re shopping, and how they prefer to pay, so you can give them exactly what they want.
Download the eGuide
↓ Explore the insights
¹ e-Commerce - Worldwide, Statista, accessed 17 February 2025
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47%
41%
11%
46%
30%
19%
41%
8%
29%
50%
29%
44%
10%
36%
52%
38%
51%
14%
52%
41%
38%
34%
10%
57%
31%
22%
54%
5%
24%
36%
30%
55%
9%
32%
43%
40%
60%
14%
44%
37%
55%
48%
12%
35%
29%
17%
24%
11%
36%
68%
29%
33%
10%
39%
60%
37%
43%
14%
60%
45%
Gen X
Gen Z and Millennials
Baby Boomers
Total
96%
94%
89%
93%
51%
59%
24%
43%
29%
25%
15%
71%
31%
50%
39%
35%
21%
14%
63%
44%
39%
41%
32%
23%
14%
54%
59%
25%
43%
29%
26%
14%
73%
34%
53%
40%
36%
24%
14%
65%
45%
40%
42%
33%
25%
14%
48%
60%
22%
44%
29%
24%
15%
69%
29%
48%
37%
34%
18%
14%
61%
42%
38%
40%
32%
21%
15%
Female
Male
Total
54%
eCommerce platform marketplaces
43%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in New Zealand typically make cross-border purchases
71%
eCommerce platform marketplaces
26%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in Australia typically make cross-border purchases
62%
eCommerce platforms or marketplaces
35%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in ANZ typically make cross-border purchases
96%
94%
89%
93%
51%
59%
24%
43%
29%
25%
15%
71%
31%
50%
39%
35%
21%
14%
63%
44%
39%
41%
32%
23%
14%
54%
59%
25%
43%
29%
26%
14%
73%
34%
53%
40%
36%
24%
14%
65%
45%
40%
42%
33%
25%
14%
48%
60%
22%
44%
29%
24%
15%
69%
29%
48%
37%
34%
18%
14%
61%
42%
38%
40%
32%
21%
15%
Female
Male
Total
54%
eCommerce platform marketplaces
43%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in New Zealand typically make cross-border purchases
71%
eCommerce platform marketplaces
26%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in Australia typically make cross-border purchases
62%
eCommerce platform marketplaces
35%
Merchant websites
3%
Social media
Where shoppers in ANZ typically make cross-border purchases
47%
41%
11%
46%
30%
29%
44%
10%
36%
52%
38%
51%
14%
52%
41%
19%
41%
8%
29%
50%
38%
34%
10%
57%
31%
30%
55%
9%
32%
43%
40%
60%
14%
44%
37%
22%
54%
5%
24%
36%
55%
48%
12%
35%
29%
29%
33%
10%
39%
60%
37%
43%
14%
60%
45%
17%
24%
11%
36%
68%
Gen Z and Millennials
Gen X
Baby Boomers
Total
Trust badges and certificates at payment
Local currency pricing
Faster shipping
Positive customer reviews and ratings
Improved return policies
Preferred payment options
Transparent fees
Affordable shipping
Trust badges and certificates at payment
Local currency pricing
Faster shipping
Positive customer reviews and ratings
Improved return policies
Preferred payment options
Transparent fees
Affordable shipping
Digital payment methods refer to global eWallets (e.g. Apple Pay and Google Pay) and any further country-specific digital payment methods (e.g. Trustly, GrabPay, and Alipay). They exclude credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and buy now, pay later (BNPL) options.