Discover the Italian e-commerce market

Population of Italy

The population of Italy in 2022 exceeded 59 million people. However, it is important to note that predictions for the following years forecast a declining trend. Moreover, over a third of the population in 2022 made at least one online purchase in Italy, and the forecasts in this regard are definitely on the rise.

Average monthly earnings in Italy

Although Italy was the fourth-largest economy of the EU member states in 2022, the average salary in Italy that year was €31,530. However, it is worth noting that when looking at the average Italian salary by region, the northern regions, with Lombardy at the forefront, are ranked highest.

E-commerce users in Italy - access to the Internet and mobile devices

In 2023, according to Eurostat data, 86.9% of the Italian population had access to the Internet. Meanwhile, the number of smartphone users in Italy is estimated to be close to 50 million in 2024.

Payment methods in Italy

Online shopping in Italy is also associated with characteristic payment methods. Among them, the most known and provided by Italian online stores are credit cards. The possibility of payment using them is offered by 37% of companies in the online trade industry. Second place is held by digital wallets, which can be used for payment in 27% of companies.

These statistics also align with the payment methods preferred by Italian e-commerce consumers – online payments and credit cards are the most popular here.

Delivery Methods and E-commerce in Italy

What may be quite shocking for Polish consumers accustomed to parcel lockers, deliveries in e-commerce in Italy were characterized in 2021 by the fact that the most preferred method was home delivery with or without the need to sign. Deliveries requiring a signature were chosen by 47% of consumers, and without a signature by 40%. Third place, with a result of 5%, went to deliveries to a collection point.

Largest courier companies in Italy

Among the largest companies when it comes to deliveries in e-commerce in Italy include BRT, which integrated with DPDGroup in 2020, specializes in the e-commerce market in Italy, and offers deliveries within 24 hours. Another major player is Poste Italiane, which is responsible for delivering about 64% of domestic packages and offers collection in over 13,000 points.

In addition to the above, e-commerce users often also use the services of UPS, GLS, and FedEx.

Value of the Italian e-commerce market

Italy ranks behind the United Kingdom, Germany, and France in the European e-commerce market classification. However, it is impossible not to notice that the development of online sales in Italy is ongoing, and the revenue from this market in 2022 amounted to nearly 76 billion euros, which is 12 billion more than in the previous year.

Most popular marketplace platforms in Italy

One way to expand into the Italian e-commerce market is to open your online store in Italy. Another is to sell products online in Italy through marketplace platforms, which strongly support the development of e-commerce in this country.

The most popular among them is Amazon.it, which in March 2024 recorded 159 million visits with an average duration of 6 minutes and 50 seconds. Apart from the American giant, online shopping in Italy is also popular through Temu, Aliexpress, and Etsy.

In addition to the above, the digital market in Italy is also made up of domestic platforms, such as subito.it, bakeca.it, or automobile.it.

Mobile e-commerce apps also play a significant role in the Italian e-handel market. In this regard, Temu and Shein are leading the way in Italy.

Most popular e-commerce segments in Italy

Among the customers of Italian online stores, two most popular e-commerce segments can be distinguished, namely, clothing and footwear. Italian e-commerce customers in 2023 most frequently reached for this type of assortment. These shopping categories, or rather purchases of products from them, were indicated by 41% and 37%, respectively.

What to remember before expanding to the Italian market - characteristics of Italian e-commerce customers

The specifics of the e-commerce market in each country are slightly different, so before expansion, it’s worth knowing the details concerning it, so the whole process of entering a new market is simpler and more efficient. The same is true in Italy, where there are also characteristic purchasing preferences of Italian customers, and the information below will help you and your company reach these consumers.

Positioning of online stores in Italy

Entering a new market involves the necessity to work on positioning and ensuring visibility. Therefore, it is worth checking what Italian e-commerce websites look like beforehand, and then adapt your own to this market, which includes translating content into Italian.

Adjustment of the order form

Moreover, once we reach the Italian consumer with our offer, it is necessary to adjust the order form to the data of Italian customers. This refers to the address or phone number, which have slightly different formats in Italy.

Calendar – shopping occasions in Italy

If you plan to sell online in Italy, it’s also worth paying attention to when Italians particularly like to buy and adjust your promotions and sales to these dates. Apart from global online trade holidays, such as Cyber Monday or Black Friday, Italy also celebrates the Singles’ Day originating from China and observed on November 11th, and January 6th, when children receive gifts from Befana. Moreover, it’s worth keeping in mind June 6th – Festa della Republica – and August 15th – Ferragosto.

Payment options and delivery methods

Italians value the speed of delivery during online purchases, as well as pay attention to the price of this service. Therefore, if you are considering Italy as an e-commerce market for expansion, it’s worth ensuring the shortest possible delivery times. A solution may be to store goods in Italy or focus on e-commerce fulfillment in Italy.

Moreover, well-known payment options, whose availability connotes transaction safety, are also significant.

Customer service in Italian

Another important aspect that characterizes Italian shopping habits is access to customer service provided in the Italian language. If the contact number or shipping address is foreign, it can influence the purchasing decision and deter a potential consumer from finalizing the purchase.

Tax obligations related to expansion to the e-commerce market in Italy

Expanding to a new market is also a challenge related to tax obligations. These include accounting for VAT from online sales in Italy, and the proper conduct of this process requires the entrepreneur to register for VAT locally. This is mandatory when sales to private consumers in Italy exceed the intra-community distance selling threshold of 10,000 euros, and the seller decides not to use the VAT OSS procedure.

If you are looking for more information on VAT registration and VAT tax in Italy, check out our articles dedicated to these topics. If you need support in these aspects, we encourage you to contact us.

Italian e-commerce market - summary

Expanding to the Italian market is an opportunity for many entrepreneurs to increase their customer base and, consequently, the profits of the company. This is all the more true when we talk about the fourth e-commerce market in Europe, which has positive forecasts for the future.

To undertake expansion, it’s also important to prepare properly. This involves adapting your offers to the Italian consumer, for example, by translating them or optimizing logistical processes to ensure the fastest possible delivery of goods.

Moreover, it is necessary to remember issues related to VAT, as neglecting them can result in financial penalties. If you need support with registrations, filing declarations or VAT and VAT OSS settlements, or with accounting in e-commerce, schedule a consultation, indicate what the problem is, and our VAT Compliance specialists will take care of the rest!