Australians are paying more for online deliveries, and while faster and more convenient, the rise of global e-commerce giants could spell trouble for local retailers.
With labour, fuel and maintenance costs continuing to rise, consumers are forking out an average of $11.30 for a delivery in 2026, up from $10.39 a year ago, shipping software platform Shippit says.
More than 71 per cent of carrier companies said fuel price volatility was now their biggest operational challenge, while more than two in five had implemented fuel surcharges as a result, according to Shippit's State of Shipping report.
While delivery was faster and more reliable than ever, providing an accurate timeline for buyers was becoming crucial as players such as Amazon, Temu and Shein continued to grow market share.
