Mobile Menu

E-Commerce in Ireland - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Luyi Geng Luyi Geng London, United Kingdom Last Updated: July 2025 SIC G47.910IE

Revenue

€3.0bn

2025

€3.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

€XXX.Xm

Employees

34,691

Businesses

9,071

Wages

€XXX.Xm

E-Commerce in Ireland industry analysis

E-tailers (online retailers) continue encroaching on the competitive advantages once solely offered by high-street counterparts through virtual and augmented reality and chat assistants. E-tailers are making it easier for financially constrained consumers to shop online by partnering with buy now, pay later platforms like Klarna and Split Pay. Delivery options are increasingly customisable, with same-day, chosen-day or locker delivery options rising in popularity because of their convenience. Soaring numbers of sales start on social media applications like Instagram and TikTok, encouraging e-tailers to boost investment in their marketing departments to drive interactions and raise their online presence. Innovation in the industry is high, with retailers constantly finding new areas to add value to their customers, like subscription-style services for certain everyday products.

Trends and Insights

  • Irish shoppers are slow to take up online shopping. Many shoppers in Ireland continue to prefer traditional shopping outlets rather than relying heavily on e-commerce.
  • Clothing, apparel and footwear are the biggest market. Increasing interest in fashion and fashion consciousness keeps demand afloat despite low consumer confidence.
  • Online stores based in Dublin benefit from its denser population. The region is home to the largest proportion of industry establishments, along with the largest share of the Irish population. This is attractive to online stores.
  • Strong competition in the industry encourages product innovation. Players must constantly come up with new ideas for services and website widgets to stand out from competitors and bring in new business.
Show more

Get more expert insights that help you cut through the noise.

Get fast answers to complex questions about your business or your client’s industry. Annual memberships include unlimited access to data and analysis for thousands of industries globally.

Get in Touch

Power confident decisions with data that connects the dots

  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
  • Flexible access in online database via PPT, XLS, Word downloads or AI Chat
  • 100% money back guarantee

How you can access insights on the E-Commerce in Ireland industry

The E-Commerce in Ireland Industry Report is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.

Comprehensive PDF

Complete analysis, charts and statistic tables in a PDF.

IBISWorld Industry Report Download sample

Ask Phil AI

Generative AI answers driven exclusively by trusted in-house analysts.

IBISWorld Phil AI receiving a prompt
Learn More

My IBISWorld Platform

A web based platform covering thousands of industries and companies globally.

IBISWorld Phil AI receiving a prompt Book a Demo

Related Coverage

Understand the landscape with full access to an IBISWorld license

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €3.0bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

The cost-of-living crisis has contrained revenue growth

  • According to the CSO, inflation peaked at 9.2% in October 2022 (a 38-year high), driven by sky-high energy prices and global supply chain issues. Inflationary pressure led to a collapse in consumer sentiment, which dove to a 14-year low in September 2022, according to Credit Union.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
E-Commerce in Ireland
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Mobile optimisation and immersive technologies are redefining the Irish e-commerce experience

  • The rapid proliferation of 5G—now covering approximately 75% of the Irish population—is a catalyst for mobile commerce (m-commerce) to outpace desktop and traditional channels. According to E-consultancy, companies should prioritise optimising their platforms for mobile, as slow check-outs and poor navigation remain top contributors to cart abandonment.

Biggest companies in the E-Commerce in Ireland

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (€m)
2025
Etsy Ireland Unlimited
763.7
Amazon.com Inc
334.3
ASOS plc
126.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

E-Commerce in Ireland
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Clothing, apparel, and footwear, Consumer electronics and Groceries . Clothing, apparel, and footwear is the largest segment of the E-Commerce in Ireland.

Trends and Insights

The desire for sustainable clothing is pushing up production costs

  • Growing fashion consciousness drives sales of sustainable and unique products despite subdued consumer confidence.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Operators in the industry retail a variety of products via the internet, mail order, TV and phone. Online auction sites are included in the industry, but transactions involving motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts are not covered. The industry excludes retailers that have a high-street presence but also sell products through the internet and other channels.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland include Clothing, apparel and footwear, Furniture, homeware and gardening, Groceries, Delivery receipts, Sporting goods and toys and Consumer electronics.

Companies

Companies covered in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland include Etsy Ireland Unlimited, Amazon.com Inc and ASOS plc.

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland include brick-and-mortar stores, cookies , broadband, central statistics office (cso) and e-tailer.

Industry Code

SIC 2007

SIC 47.91 - E-Commerce in Ireland

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Irish shoppers are slow to take up online shopping. Many shoppers in Ireland continue to prefer traditional shopping outlets rather than relying heavily on e-commerce.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Clothing, apparel and footwear are the biggest market. Increasing interest in fashion and fashion consciousness keeps demand afloat despite low consumer confidence.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Online stores based in Dublin benefit from its denser population. The region is home to the largest proportion of industry establishments, along with the largest share of the...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Strong competition in the industry encourages product innovation. Players must constantly come up with new ideas for services and website widgets to stand out from competitor...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Etsy’s market share has swelled thanks to innovative product offerings. Etsy provides a platform for independent creators to sell products to a wide customer base. This, pair...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Etsy Ireland Unlimited's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Amazon.com Inc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of ASOS plc's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Etsy Ireland Unlimited, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Amazon.com Inc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for ASOS plc, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Disposable income levels dictate demand. The level of real household disposable income determines how much money consumers spend on discretionary items. This can constrict th...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Industry profitability is low. However, it’s higher than other retail industries because online retailers don’t have the same rent costs as in-person stores.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the E-Commerce industry in Ireland in 2025?

The market size of the E-Commerce industry in Ireland is €3.0bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland in 2025?

There are 9,071 businesses in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the E-Commerce industry in Ireland?

The E-Commerce industry in Ireland is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the E-Commerce industry in Ireland?

The E-Commerce industry in Ireland is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the E-Commerce industry in Ireland grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the E-Commerce industry in Ireland has been growing at a CAGR of 0.9 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the E-Commerce industry in Ireland over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the E-Commerce industry in Ireland is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland?

The biggest companies operating in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland are Etsy Ireland Unlimited, Amazon.com Inc and ASOS plc

What does the E-Commerce industry in Ireland include?

Clothing, apparel and footwear and Furniture, homeware and gardening are part of the E-Commerce industry in Ireland.

Which companies have the highest market share in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland?

The company holding the most market share in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland is Etsy Ireland Unlimited.

How competitive is the E-Commerce industry in Ireland?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the E-Commerce industry in Ireland.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Ireland include:

  • Central Statistics Office
  • Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
  • Irish Tax & Customs

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

feedback