The retail market is dominated by a rush to the bottom where the cheapest wins, no matter where they are, right? This is a common belief, but it’s simply not true. Research shows Aussie buying behaviour is a lot more complicated than that as there are many more factors at play – including shoppers wanting to buy local.

At Shopify, we saw this trend play out during the 2025 Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, during which Australian merchants on Shopify delivered their strongest BFCM on record, with the number of consumers purchasing rising by 15 per cent, year-on-year.

What’s more, Queensland-founded activewear brand LSKD recorded over $10 million in sales in the first hour of its Black Friday sale earlier in November, with highs of 2,500 checkouts per minute.

These figures reflect a deeper sentiment that Australian consumers are valuing local retail businesses for reasons that go beyond price. This trend is particularly good news for local small and medium-sized retailers that are locked in a battle for wallet share against bigger players.

With retailers being rewarded for leaning into their local strengths, it’s time for smaller players to trade on their Australian roots and share in those rewards.

3 reasons Aussies love buying local and how retailers can turn those preferences into an edge in 2026.

1. Faster, cheaper local delivery

Nobody wants to wait ages for their new purchases to end up on the doorstep. Unsurprisingly, shipping time and cost can be a major factor in where consumers choose to shop. Some 34% of Australian shoppers cite faster delivery or lower shipping costs among their top three reasons to buy from a store based in their own country, according to Shopify’ 2025 Holiday Retail Report.

Fortunately, local retailers selling to local audiences have an incredible advantage: they are relatively close, geographically, to their respective customers compared to international sellers. This gives local retailers a head start. With the right logistics partners and shipping integrations, domestic delivery can be fast and affordable.

In 2026, retailers have the chance to treat delivery as a value-added differentiated instead of a cost centre. With local fulfilment partners, regional warehousing and smart inventory systems, local retailers can win customers with the promise of fast, affordable delivery.

2. Local customer experience

While convenience is a major drawcard for retailers, connection is just as important. In fact, customer service is one of the top three reasons to buy from local stores for a full third of consumers, while 29% of customers said they value the ease of finding or buying locally, according to Shopify research.

Certainly, local sensibilities and knowledge can help a lot in this area, especially when you consider that 78% of consumers say that buying from a person still matters in the age of digital interaction. Against this backdrop, retailers have the chance to leverage the human element in their interactions with customers.

This is where technology lends a hand. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of Australian consumers said they’ll likely use AI for at least one task when doing their holiday shopping in 2025. With that in mind, a winning formula for 2026 is to blend the latest AI-based tools, such as chatbots and smart recommendations, with the classic human touch for a highly personalised shopping experience.

3. Supporting the local community

Perhaps the best news for local retailers is that, beyond the convenience and customer experience benefits of buying locally, Australian shoppers actually want to support Australian businesses. Close to a third (31%) of Australian consumers rank supporting the local economy as a top three reason to buy from local stores.

This presents a major opportunity for retailers in 2026. Businesses have the chance to strengthen trust by showing how they contribute to local communities and industries. This might include partnering with local suppliers, participating in community programs, supporting local environmental efforts or simply being more transparent about where the products they stock are from.

Importantly, these initiatives should be made visible where shoppers are shopping. And in 2026, that means both digital and physical channels. Hybrid shopping is now an established norm for consumers with 50% going online to buy smaller items and in-store for larger purchases. Commerce platforms that can help retailers maintain consistent messaging across channels will be invaluable here.

The opportunities to lean into the local market come as both consumer and retailer confidence are on the rise. For instance, Shopify merchants generated a record $14.6 billion USD in sales globally over Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend, up 27% from last year. There’s money to be made, and retail businesses that embrace their local strengths have the opportunity to win substantial wallet share from their larger, international counterparts.

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