Electronic commerce in Spain has entered 2026 with a positive outlookconsolidating itself as one of the European markets with the highest growth expectations and despite the current crises in semiconductors and the energy crisis due to the war against Iran.
This is what the new report estimates Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report from Packlink, which has the opinions of more than 8,000 professionals in the sector and 400 managers of companies with annual turnover of more than 12.5 million dollars. At a global level, Spain is among the markets with the greatest confidence in the growth of ecommerce: 74% of Spanish companies plan to increase their online sales in 2026, exceeding the level of optimism recorded last year. Closely followed by the United States (90%) and the United Kingdom (80%). On the contrary, other markets show more moderate expectations, such as Australia (68%), Germany (66%) and Italy (54%), the latter being the least optimistic country among the participants.
Ecommerce challenges
Despite the favorable environment, the report highlights that success in 2026 It will not depend solely on demand. Rather, it will be determined by companies’ ability to manage increasingly complex operations. With this in mind, the main challenges include: the adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to remain competitive (36%), increasing operational and logistics management costs (28%), growing online competition (28%), high customer acquisition and retention costs (24%), and cybersecurity threats and fraud risks (24%).
AI: a common denominator for 2026
The implementation of artificial intelligence is emerging as a fundamental driver of transformation, although the challenges vary depending on the size of the organization. For large retailers, with revenues exceeding $625 million, the main barriers are related to trust and talent: 53% point to customer reluctance as the main obstacle, followed by a lack of specialized personnel and concerns about data security.
On the other hand, for smaller companies (with revenues of less than $125 million), the main challenge is economic: 53% identify the high cost of development and integration as the biggest barrier, in addition to facing the lack of internal technical resources necessary to compete on equal technological conditions.
Logistics and efficiency as a competitive advantage
In a context where margins are narrowing due to current costs, intensified competition and higher customer expectations, logistics efficiency becomes a key differentiating factor. Optimizing shipping costs, streamlining processes and offering flexible delivery options are essential strategies to respond to demand and maintain business competitiveness.
«The success of ecommerce in 2026 will depend on combining growth, efficiency and technology. Artificial intelligence makes it possible to optimize each phase of logistics, improve the customer experience and offer fast and flexible deliveries, becoming a true driver of competitiveness. Companies that integrate these innovations strategically will be better positioned to lead the market.”says Matthew Trattles, vice president of product at Packlink.
