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Gemius E-commerce Study: Delivery Trends in the Baltics

This year's Gemius E-commerce Study reveals that parcel lockers continue to maintain a clear lead among online shopping delivery methods in all three Baltic countries. In Latvia and Estonia, they are used by almost all respondents, while in Lithuania, more than half use them. Although delivery options are becoming increasingly diverse, issues such as excessively long delivery times and high delivery costs continue to affect the shopping experience across the Baltics.

The Most Popular Delivery Method – Parcel Lockers

The ability to collect parcels at a convenient time makes parcel lockers a particularly convenient delivery solution and the preferred choice in all three Baltic countries. In Latvia, 96% of respondents have used parcel lockers in the past six months, compared with 95% in Estonia. In Lithuania, where the study examines shopping habits over the past twelve months, 54% of respondents choose parcel lockers.

Compared with the previous year's study results, the popularity of parcel lockers has remained very stable in Latvia and Estonia. In Latvia, 95% of respondents used parcel lockers in 2025, compared with 96% this year, while in Estonia, the figure has changed from 96% last year to 95% this year. In Lithuania, the share of respondents choosing parcel lockers has decreased from 57% in 2025 to 54% this year.

Courier delivery, although still widely used, ranks behind parcel lockers in all three Baltic countries. In Latvia, 54% of respondents have used courier delivery in the past six months, compared with 50% in Estonia, while 34% of respondents in Lithuania choose courier services. Last year, the corresponding figures were 57% in Latvia, 51% in Estonia and 37% in Lithuania.

Collecting purchases from a store or retail outlet ranks as the third most popular delivery method. This year, it is chosen by 50% of respondents in Estonia, 47% in Latvia and 25% in Lithuania. Compared with last year, the use of this delivery method has increased slightly in Latvia, from 45% to 47%, and in Estonia, from 48% to 50%. In Lithuania, the figure has decreased from 28% last year to 25% this year.

Overall, the study results show that parcel lockers remain the first choice in all three countries, followed by courier services and in-store collection. The dominance of parcel lockers is particularly pronounced in Latvia and Estonia, where more than nine out of ten respondents use them.

Delivery Quality Is Gradually Improving

Although delivery options are becoming increasingly convenient and diverse, excessively long delivery times and high delivery costs remain among the most frequently mentioned problems among respondents in the Baltics.

Excessively long delivery times remain the most common delivery-related problem in all three Baltic countries. In 2026, this issue was reported by 44% of respondents in Latvia, 50% in Estonia and 26% in Lithuania. In Latvia, the figure has remained virtually unchanged compared with last year, when 44% of respondents also reported excessively long delivery times. Meanwhile, in Estonia, the figure has decreased from 53% to 50%, and in Lithuania, from 29% to 26%.

In Latvia and Estonia, high delivery costs are the second most frequently reported delivery-related problem. In Latvia, 35% of respondents reported excessively expensive delivery this year, compared with 34% last year, while in Estonia, the figure has decreased from 43% in 2025 to 39% this year. In Lithuania, the second most common problem is different: 21% of respondents reported that the delivered product did not meet their expectations. This figure has also improved, as 26% of Lithuanian respondents reported this problem in 2025.

The third most common response in Latvia and Estonia was that respondents had not experienced any delivery-related problems. In Latvia, 25% of respondents gave this answer, compared with 24% in Estonia. In 2025, 27% of Latvian respondents and 23% of Estonian respondents had not experienced any delivery-related problems. Meanwhile, excessively high delivery costs were reported by 15% of respondents in Lithuania this year, compared with 17% last year.

Overall, the latest Gemius E-commerce Study data indicate that the main delivery-related challenges in the Baltics remain similar to those of previous years, with respondents most frequently experiencing excessively long delivery times and high delivery costs. At the same time, compared with the previous year, the share of respondents reporting excessively long delivery times has decreased in Estonia and Lithuania, while excessively high delivery costs are also mentioned less frequently.

The Gemius E-commerce Study was conducted using the gemiusAdHoc online survey. The study is based on data collected through pop-up online questionnaires displayed to randomly selected internet users on the most popular websites in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. In Latvia, the study surveyed 1,847 respondents aged 18–74; in Lithuania, 3,161 respondents aged 15–74; and in Estonia, 1,885 internet users aged 18–74 participated in the study.

The E-commerce Study is available for all three Baltic countries. To learn more and access the full study data, please contact Gemius Latvia at contact@gemius.lv.

Gemius is an international internet research company offering professional research solutions, consulting, analysis and recommendations to businesses operating in the online environment. The company's solutions form the basis of daily operations for more than 2,000 companies across various market sectors worldwide. Founded in 1999, Gemius currently operates in more than 30 markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Its research uses proprietary methodological solutions that comply with the internationally recognised ICC/ESOMAR Code.