By summer’s end, the Nordic region (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland) remains one of Europe's most digitally mature e-commerce markets. According to PostNord’s Spring 2025 report, over 80% of consumers shop online monthly, and a strong 73% made at least one international purchase in the past 12 months.

This high engagement level positions the Nordics as a strategic priority for global and regional brands aiming for long-term relevance across Europe.

Key Nordic E-Commerce Metrics (Summer 2025)

• 84% of Nordic consumers shop online at least once a month
  
• 73% have completed a cross-border purchase in the past year, with 48% shopping abroad monthly
  
• 32% bought second-hand items within the last 30 days
  
• Sustainability factors influence 8 in 10 shoppers when selecting where to buy online
  

Cross-Border Popularity & Destinations

China is the leading cross-border origin for Nordic shoppers, especially in Sweden and Norway (around 30% of recent orders). Germany ranks highly in Denmark. Sweden is commonly purchased from in Finland—and vice versa.

Lower pricing is the primary motivator for cross-border purchases in the Nordics (around 60%), but trust, reliable delivery, and clear return policies determine conversion success.

Delivery & Payment Preferences Vary by Country

Key delivery preferences:

• Denmark: 45% prefer pick-up at service points
  
• Finland: 37% prefer parcel lockers
  
• Sweden: 32% opt for home delivery
  
• Norway: 31% favor mailbox delivery systems
  

Preferred payment methods also differ: Sweden favors invoice-based payments (e.g., Klarna), while Norway and Denmark lean toward buy-now-pay-later and local wallet solutions.

Nordic E-commerce Trends

Consistent Engagement

A high baseline of monthly shoppers creates opportunities for repeat purchase cycles, especially in fashion, beauty, and groceries.

Cross-Border Opens Demand

With nearly three-quarters shopping internationally, Nordic buyers are open to new brands and geographies—provided you address delivery, returns, and local trust signals.

Sustainability as a Decision Driver

Eight out of ten consumers weigh sustainability; brands offering clear ESG messaging and eco-delivery options can differentiate themselves.

Action Steps for E-Commerce Teams

As of late August 2025, the Nordic e-commerce ecosystem remains vibrant and digitally engaged. With 83–84% of consumers shopping monthly and 73% making foreign purchases over the past year, the region is fertile ground for brands that adapt to local delivery, payment, and sustainability expectations. Differentiation in logistics, trust signals, and ESG positioning will continue to drive competitive advantage in Scandinavia’s evolving digital retail arena.

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As digital retail continues its upward climb in the post-pandemic economy, the Nordic countries—Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway—have emerged as global frontrunners in e-commerce adoption. According to the newly released PostNord Spring 2025 Nordic E-commerce Report, over 80% of Nordic consumers shop online at least monthly, with increasing emphasis on convenience, sustainability, and international shopping.

Today, we want to dive into the key e-commerce trends reshaping the Nordics, thanks to our partners at PostNord, and digest this insightful E-commerce in the Nordics 2025 Spring report. Remember, you can download the full report here.

E-commerce Growth Rebounds in 2024

After a sluggish 2023, Nordic e-commerce made a notable recovery in 2024, outpacing overall retail growth across all four countries. While uncertainty in global trade and geopolitical tensions remain, the region’s e-commerce ecosystem is expanding, driven by tech-savvy consumers, mature delivery infrastructures, and a growing appetite for cross-border purchases.

Nordic Online Shopping in Numbers (2025)

• 84% shop online at least once a month
  
• 73% made an international online purchase in the past year
  
• 32% purchased second-hand items online in the last 30 days
  
• 62% paid for delivery during their last online purchase
  
• Most common delivery: Service point (32%)
  
• Most common payment: Credit card (24%)
  

Country-By-Country Breakdown

Sweden: The Most Mature Market

• 90% shop monthly (highest in the Nordics)
  
• Most prefer home delivery and pay for convenience
  
• Top categories: clothes, beauty, groceries
  
• Swedes favor invoice payments (thanks to Klarna)
  
• Strong second-hand growth driven by sustainability and style
  

Denmark: The Price-Savvy Consumer

• Service points dominate deliveries, but home delivery is preferred
  
• Danes are the most active cross-border shoppers (77%)
  
• Popular international platforms: Zalando, Temu, Amazon
  
• Slight dip in second-hand shopping, especially among 30–49 age group
  
• Most value: lowest price + pickup flexibility
  

Finland: The Parcel Locker Nation

• 37% prefer parcel lockers—highest in the Nordics
  
• Weekly online shopping among 18–29-year-olds jumped from 33% to 50%
  
• Second-hand shopping and eco-conscious buying are gaining ground.
  
• Online bank payment still leads, but cards and mobile pay rising.
  
• Returns via parcel lockers are uniquely dominant.
  

Norway: Flexibility First

• Highest willingness to pay for sustainable and fast deliveries
  
• 76% shop from abroad; top foreign sites include Temu and Amazon
  
• Home deliveries and parcel lockers are on the rise.
  
• 71% value clear return policies—the highest in the Nordics
  
• Second-hand fashion and electronics are popular.
  

Cross-Border Shopping: China, Germany & Sweden Lead

China remains the top foreign country from which Nordic consumers shop, especially among older age groups. Germany and Sweden follow closely, with Sweden being the most popular Nordic country for cross-border purchases, driven by a strong domestic e-commerce ecosystem and favorable logistics.

Sustainability: Strong Intent, Moderate Action

Despite economic pressures, 8 in 10 Nordic consumers consider sustainability when shopping online. However, willingness to pay extra for eco-friendly deliveries or products remains mixed. Swedes and Norwegians are more open to paying for sustainable delivery options, while Finns and Danes show more caution.

Key factors influencing sustainable purchases:

• Sustainable materials
  
• Fair working conditions
  
• Eco-friendly delivery
  

Key Takeaways for E-tailers

• Localize delivery and payment options to each Nordic market.
  
• Offer clear and flexible return policies—critical in Norway.
  
• Support parcel lockers in Finland and home deliveries in Sweden and Norway.
  
• Invest in second-hand or resale platforms to tap into circular economy demand.
  
• Balance sustainability with affordability to win over price-sensitive shoppers.
  

The 2025 Nordic e-commerce landscape reveals a digitally unified but behaviorally diverse market. To succeed, brands must embrace regional preferences—from payment systems and delivery expectations to sustainability values and second-hand shopping trends.

E-commerce in the Nordics isn’t just growing—it’s evolving. Retailers who adapt to these nuanced shifts will be best positioned to lead in this competitive, connected region.

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Antler, a global investment partner for startups, has announced its launch in Copenhagen. This announcement comes following an investment of DKK 50 million - about 6.7 million Euros - into the Antler's Nordic Fund from the Danish state's investment fund Vækstfonden.

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The goal for Antler in Copenhagen is to attract and support highly specialized founders from across the world and invest in the most promising 'green' companies of the future.

The main objective of Antler is to attract and support 70-100 highly specialized founders and entrepreneurs from across the globe on an annual basis and help them build the 'green' companies of the future, for later investment in the most promising companies among them.

Antler claims to be able to establish and invest in between 10-20 sustainable tech companies every year in Denmark.

Helping green companies to scale 

Already from mid-February, Antler will support around 15 entrepreneurs in Denmark to develop impactful and scalable solutions in sustainability, climate tech, and green transformation. 

The objective is that these companies will grow into global export companies, and ultimately attract more green capital and experience to Denmark.

Rolf Kjærgaard, CEO of the Vækstfonden highlighted that the fact that an international fund such as Antler now chooses to base itself in Copenhagen is very much in line with their strategy in Vækstfonden. 

"We invest in and with international funds with the purpose of attracting investors, capital, and competencies to Denmark. Antler is contributing very strongly to this. They will bring strong competencies from all over the world to Copenhagen and from there build some of the sustainable companies of the future. Therefore we are pleased to see Antler in Copenhagen", Says Rolf Kjærgaard.

Antler global hunt for entrepreneurs 

Antler was founded to promote, help and invest in startup founders with, what they call ‘exceptional projects’ that could scale and could create a positive and meaningful impact on the economy and society. 

Currently, this investment fund has offices in 25 cities across six continents, including Austin, New York, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Bangalore, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and Sydney.

It offers services such as a global community of builders, investors, operators, experts, and partner organizations backed by people from the very start of their founder journey—pre-team or even pre-idea. 

Antler claims that, since 2018, have helped create and invested in more than 600 startups across a wide range of industries and technologies, with the goal of backing more than 6,000 by 2030.

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The four markets have to deal with some cross-border shopping elements. Usually, cross-border consumers in the Nordic region shop abroad from China, the United Kingdom and Germany. Only on Norway, the consumers tend to prefer to buy cross-border from the American market. This may have something to do with the fact that eBay is very popular among Norwegian consumers. In Denmark, the United Kingdom is the favorite cross-border shopping destination, while the Swedes prefer Germany. When looking at a cross-border level in the Nordic region only, Sweden is for foreign consumers the most interesting market to shop cross-border. Especially the Finnish consumers are keen on shopping from Swedish shops

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Now, e-tailers need to find innovative new ways to personalise their offerings so they can build a loyal customer base- and they’re going to need to harness customer data to do it. The buzz around big data has been ringing in our ears for a while - but it’s time to grasp the bull by the horns. Although investing in new technology too heavily has been the pitfall of many, the other critical error has been leaving it too late. Customers expect to be able to have a personalised experience from a cohesive brand across all channels. But how can retailers strike the right balance when it comes to upgrading their online commerce?

In Q2 of 2018, WBR Insights surveyed 100 Directors of E-commerce from across the Nordics to find out more about the challenges they’re facing and the innovative solutions being brought to the table. The results are presented in this benchmark report with analysis and commentary by the eTail Nordic community. Download the full report below.

Download

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Hear presentations on award-winning campaigns, challenges, and secrets about how they’re fighting off Amazon. With unrivaled resources, logistics and funds at its fingertips, the arrival of this retail juggernaut will change the face of Scandinavian eCommerce as we know it. Having already bought the amazon.se domain, it’s a question of when not if.

Learn from our excellent speakers including:

• Allan Bo Christiansen, Digital Developer, Atea
• Martin Bystedt, Head of User Experience and Digital, TUI
• Charlotte Bachmann Katz, Chief Digital Officer,  KappAhl
• Bo Damgaard, Managing Director, OMD
• Carl Wåreus, Head of Agency, Google
• Pino Roscigno, Director of Marketing, Stadium

Unlike every other retail conference, eTail Nordic is focused on small group learning and interactive formats so that you can make connections in an intimate setting and actually leave with actionable takeaways to add value to your eCommerce strategy for 2019.

To see the full the speaker and session line up download the agenda here.

Readers of Cross-Border Magazine get a special 15% off their tickets with the code ETNCBM18, get your ticket here.

Download the full agenda here.

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Mobile commerce becomes an increasingly important tool for Nordic online shoppers. The smartphone is used for more purposes when shopping online. Researching, checking stock and price tags, asking for advice and of course, purchasing are the main reasons to shop whit a mobile device. Almost 36 percent of Nordic consumers said they made one or more purchases with their phone, which is much higher than the 26 percent of 2016.

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