Ecommerce Business Insights in Portugal
Portugal’s ecommerce market is growing steadily, with online retail revenue projected to reach over €8 billion by 2024. With high mobile penetration and growing trust in digital payments, the environment is ideal for Shopify businesses.
Key insights:
- Mobile Commerce: Over 70% of Portuguese online shoppers purchase via mobile, emphasizing the need for responsive Shopify themes.
- Popular Product Categories: Fashion, beauty, electronics, organic food, and home goods lead ecommerce sales.
- Consumer Behavior: Portuguese shoppers value clear product information, competitive pricing, and efficient local delivery.
- Digital Trends: Influencer marketing, Instagram shopping, and eco-conscious brands are on the rise.
- Cross-Border Potential: With proximity to Spain and France, many Shopify merchants expand beyond national borders using localized storefronts.
Shopify Ecosystem & Support in Portugal
Portugal’s Shopify ecosystem is emerging, supported by regional expertise and international agencies.
- Local Agencies: Firms like BySide and Marketiu offer Shopify services including store setup, CRO, and localized content.
- Multilingual Capability: Stores often operate in both Portuguese and English to serve domestic and global customers.
- Community Resources: Merchants benefit from Shopify’s global support, webinars, and active forums.
- Developer Network: Access to European Shopify experts for theme customization, backend enhancements, and compliance with Portuguese laws like IVA.
Major Shipping Partners for Shopify Stores in Portugal
Shipping reliability is crucial for ecommerce success in Portugal’s competitive market.
Key shipping partners:
- CTT Expresso: The national postal service offers domestic and international delivery with Shopify integration.
- DHL Express: Widely used for fast global shipping, especially in cross-border fulfillment.
- MRW Portugal: Popular for deliveries within Iberia with robust tracking features.
- DPD Portugal: Efficient and trusted for B2C ecommerce logistics.
- SEUR: Strong in Iberian logistics, ideal for Shopify stores serving both Portugal and Spain.
These services integrate with Shopify for live shipping rates, tracking, and automated fulfillment.
Major Payment Gateways for Shopify Stores in Portugal
Portuguese consumers expect secure and locally relevant payment methods.
Common payment gateways include:
- Shopify Payments (via Stripe): Enables acceptance of credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay in EUR.
- MB WAY: A leading Portuguese mobile wallet and bank-linked payment app, especially popular with younger demographics.
- PayPal: Widely trusted by Portuguese and international buyers.
- Multibanco: A local banking solution allowing payments via ATM or internet banking; can be integrated via third-party apps.
- Klarna and Afterpay (via Stripe): Increasingly adopted for BNPL solutions.
These gateways support secure transactions, local currency, and bank-level encryption for compliance.
Popular Shopify Apps for Ecommerce Stores in Portugal
To enhance store functionality, Portuguese Shopify merchants use a combination of global and localized apps.
Frequently used apps include:
- Easy Bundles: Enables flexible product bundles and personalized shopping experiences.
- Fly Bundles: Helps merchants offer pre-defined product bundles and upsell options.
- Checkout Wiz: Optimizes the checkout process with smart conversion tools and local payment features.
- Kite: Assists with popups, A/B testing, and improving user engagement metrics.
- Omnisend: For email and SMS marketing automation.
- Judge.me: Displays localized product reviews with photo support and language translations.
These apps help boost sales, simplify operations, and align stores with Portuguese customer preferences.
Regional Shipping and Payment Solutions for Portugal’s Ecommerce Businesses
Shipping Strategy:
- Use CTT or MRW for fast domestic delivery.
- Offer DHL or SEUR for reliable international shipping across Europe.
- Utilize Shopify-integrated tools like Sendcloud for centralized label printing and tracking.
Payment Strategy:
- Integrate MB WAY and Multibanco for local familiarity.
- Offer Shopify Payments and PayPal for international buyers.
- Display all costs transparently, including VAT, to align with Portuguese ecommerce law.
Legal Compliance:
- Ensure VAT is properly configured in the store.
- Adhere to EU consumer protection standards and data regulations (GDPR).
Conclusion
Portugal presents a growing ecommerce landscape where Shopify merchants can succeed with the right localization, shipping, and payment strategies. By offering local payment options like MB WAY, working with reliable logistics partners, and leveraging apps like Easy Bundles and Checkout Wiz, merchants can deliver a seamless and competitive shopping experience. As digital adoption increases, Shopify stores are well-positioned to capture long-term value in the Portuguese market.