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Ecommerce in Canada is growing fast. With over 27 million online shoppers and mobile spending increasing, it’s a critical time for businesses to rethink how they win and retain customers. Drawing on insights from the Digital Economy Trust Index, including survey data from over 1,000 Canadians, this article explores the payment preferences shaping consumer behavior, and how merchants can use them to drive performance.
What Canadian ecommerce looks like today
Canada is home to the ninth-largest ecommerce market globally, valued at CA$52 billion. Ecommerce makes up 11.5% of total retail spend, with mobile commerce accelerating that growth. Already, a third of purchases happen on mobile, driven by a phone-first population and smoother app experiences.
Cross-border ecommerce is growing steadily. While J.P. Morgan reports that it accounts for around 15% of total ecommerce spend in Canada, 62% of consumers have made a cross-border purchase at least once. But it’s not just buyers going global. Nearly one in five Canadian ecommerce businesses now earn most of their revenue internationally, reflecting Canada’s bilingual, globally integrated economy. With the right infrastructure, this mindset can help merchants scale faster and smarter.
How Canadians checkout and what builds trust
Winning the sale starts with offering the right ways to pay. Our survey reveals how Canadians prefer to pay – from dominant choices like credit cards to emerging digital wallets.
But preference isn’t optional, it’s a trust trigger. More than a third of consumers say they’d lose confidence in a retailer that doesn’t offer their preferred payment method. That means every missing option is a missed opportunity.
Preferences also shift by generation. Older shoppers still lean heavily on credit cards, but younger consumers are shifting fast and embracing digital wallets and biometric ID. And when it comes to trust, most say digital identity checks make them feel more secure.
The platforms powering purchase decisions
Social and mobile commerce are reshaping the retail journey. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram play a key role in product discovery and conversion. Today, 55% of Canadian merchants sell through social media, and 95% of them via Facebook. Almost half of shoppers visit a retailer’s site after seeing a social ad.
Mobile now makes up 40% of online purchases, a figure that is rising fast. For merchants, a mobile-first, socially integrated checkout experience is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the new standard.
The payment preferences that matter most
Performance starts with understanding how Canadians move money. Credit cards remain the dominant method, accounting for 47% of online purchases. It’s a trusted option across demographics, especially older shoppers who favor familiarity at checkout. But preferences are shifting. Apple Pay and Google Pay continue to grow, offering the speed and security younger shoppers expect.
Interac, Canada’s national debit network, also plays a role – particularly in day-to-day spending. While it’s more commonly used at the point of sale, it increasingly supports online and in-app flows via digital wallets.
Most banks in Canada provision debit cards to mobile wallets using Interac rails, meaning merchants need to consider mobile-first experiences that support wallet-based payments and local expectations. These options are underpinned by strong consumer trust and bank-grade security, helping to smooth the checkout process and reduce friction.
Making every checkout count
Delivering the right experience starts with offering the right payment methods. In Canada’s fast-moving ecommerce landscape, convenience and trust are the foundation of performance.
More than one-third of consumers (36%) say they lose confidence in a retailer if their preferred payment method isn’t available, making it critical for merchants to meet expectations at checkout. That includes offering popular credit cards and digital wallets, as well as recognizing local preferences – including Interac – where relevant.
With mobile now driving 40% of ecommerce, checkout flows must be fast, responsive, and designed for thumb-first navigation. Speed, security, and UX all contribute to turning intent into conversion.
Canada’s digital opportunity
Canada offers scale, reach, and a digitally engaged population. But it’s also a market with local preferences, rising expectations, and increasing complexity. Success means going beyond “accepting payments.” It means optimizing for performance at every turn.
Checkout.com now offers direct acquiring in Canada, helping merchants process domestic transactions with fewer intermediaries. This means better approval rates, lower costs, and faster settlement.
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