E-commerce: Merchants remain optimistic for 2026, according to a survey

For the fifteenth consecutive year, Fevad is publishing its annual survey on the morale of e-commerce businesses. Conducted among 113 managers of online retail sites in France, with a European component carried out in several countries, the study paints a portrait of a sector that remains dynamic, but is facing new pressures.

Between economic instability, international competition, and the acceleration of technological transformations, e-commerce companies are approaching 2026 with a mixture of confidence and caution. While growth prospects remain, executives also anticipate a more demanding and competitive market.

A Market Still on the Rise

Despite an uncertain political and economic environment, e-tailers continue to perceive their market as generally promising.

In France, 44% of executives believe their market is growing, compared to 28% who consider it to be declining.

A similar trend is observed in the other European countries studied, where 46% of the managers surveyed also noted growth in their market. This dynamic is also reflected in the morale of executives, where 36% declare themselves more optimistic for 2026, compared to 20% who say they are less confident, representing a positive balance of 16 points, up seven points compared to the previous year. However, this more favorable climate does not dispel concerns related to the economic situation. Thus, 98% of French e-commerce professionals believe that political instability is impacting consumption. Moreover, 43% anticipate a decline in consumption over the next twelve months. Solid business prospects for 2026. The year 2025 has, in fact, proven to be generally positive for companies in the sector. Thus, half of the companies surveyed report a profitable year, while approximately one in five remains unprofitable, a stable level compared to previous years.

The outlook for 2026 therefore remains positive, with 67% of e-commerce businesses anticipating an increase in their revenue, while only 8% foresee a decrease.

Profitability is also expected to improve, with 56% of companies anticipating an improvement in their net margin. At the same time, the sector could continue to create jobs, as 24% of e-commerce businesses plan to increase their workforce, compared to 16% who anticipate reductions.

Internationalization, investments, and AI at the heart of strategies…

Finally, internationalization remains one of the sector's main growth drivers. Today, two-thirds of French e-commerce businesses report selling abroad, and among these companies, 77% anticipate an increase in the share of their revenue generated outside their domestic market within the next two years. To support this expansion, companies also plan to increase their investments. Priorities are primarily focused on IT and cybersecurity, with 58% of executives planning to increase their budgets in this area. Marketing and advertising come next, with 48% of companies ready to strengthen their investments, particularly in social media, SEO, and online advertising. At the same time, AI is gradually becoming integrated into business practices, with 94% of e-commerce businesses reporting that they already use at least one generative AI solution. Overall, technology is seen as the most promising innovation in the coming years, particularly for customer relations, marketing, and logistics…