The Australian ecommerce market is entering a phase of consolidation. Shopper behaviour is concentrating around fewer platforms, trust is becoming a primary decision driver, and discovery is increasingly happening inside marketplaces – not outside them.
Pattern’s 2026 Marketplace Consumer Report outlines a clear shift: Amazon is strengthening its position, cross-border challengers are building credibility, and legacy platforms are under pressure.
Here is what the data shows – and what it means for brands operating in Australia.
Amazon: From Transactional Channel to Discovery Engine
Amazon’s position in Australia is no longer defined by price alone. It is defined by scale, trust and ecosystem lock-in. According to our report,
- 60% of Australians purchased from Amazon in the past 12 months
- 66% plan to purchase this year
- 64% name Amazon as the marketplace they trust most for product quality
- 66% now have access to a Prime membership
Prime continues to function as a retention engine, embedding frequency and expectation around speed and convenience.
However, the most commercially significant shift is upstream:
48% of shoppers report visiting a brand’s D2C website after first discovering that brand on Amazon.
Amazon is no longer operating purely at the point of conversion. It is influencing brand discovery and consideration. For marketers, that reframes Amazon as both a performance and awareness channel.
Absence at this stage means forfeiting early influence in the path to purchase.
The Cross-Border Disruptors: Price Reset, Trust Rising
Temu and Shein remain central to the competitive landscape.
Temu has reached 47% usage in Australia. While growth has stabilised, the more important shift is perception: the platform recorded a 50% YoY uplift in quality and trust perception.
Shein has grown to 30% usage, expanding beyond fast fashion into home and beauty. This category diversification supports repeat purchase behaviour and broader relevance.
These platforms have already reset price expectations across multiple categories. As trust metrics rise, their ability to retain customers strengthens.
For brands competing in mid-tier positioning, this presents structural margin pressure.
Legacy Marketplaces: Declining Share and Strategic Narrowing
Established players are facing contraction.
- eBay has declined to 51% usage (down 7% YoY), with consumer intent softening. The platform is pivoting toward Focus Categories, particularly recommerce and pre-loved collectables.
- Kogan has seen three straight years of declining usage, dropping from 19% in 2024 to 15% in 2026.
Following the exit of Catch and MyDeal, the middle tier of the marketplace landscape continues to compress. Platforms without a sharply defined value proposition are losing share to both Amazon and cross-border competitors.
Omnichannel Retailers: Trusted Banners, Marketplace Models
Retailers including Big W, Bunnings, Woolworths and Kmart have embedded third-party marketplace models into their digital ecosystems.
Notably, 34% of Australians do not realise these sites operate as marketplaces.
From a consumer perspective, the distinction is irrelevant. Trust sits with the brand banner, not the fulfilment model.
For brands, these environments provide access to high-trust digital traffic without the burden of building awareness independently.
Strategic Implications for Brands
Marketplace participation in Australia is no longer tactical – it is strategic.
Consumers may be influenced by social and creator channels, but when purchasing, they default to trusted marketplace infrastructure.
Additionally, brands that believe they are “not on Amazon” often discover the opposite. Unauthorised third-party sellers can:
- Control listings
- Capture Buy Box ownership
- Accumulate reviews
- Undermine pricing architecture
- Erode brand equity
In a consolidated market, control becomes a competitive advantage.
Visibility, ownership of content, pricing governance and retail media strategy must operate together, not in silos.
Where to From Here?
The Australian marketplace landscape is consolidating around scale and trust. Amazon is strengthening its influence across discovery and conversion, cross-border platforms are maturing, and legacy players are narrowing focus.
For brands, the question is not whether to participate – but how to control presence, protect equity and capture growth.
If you would like to understand how your brand is positioned across Australian marketplaces, and where opportunity or risk sits, contact us to discuss your strategy.
If you want to dive deeper into the findings, watch the webinar where we unpack the full 2026 Marketplace Consumer Report.
