Polish e-commerce accelerated during the summer holidays – Base Index results for July 2026

While global e-commerce faced a summer slowdown, the Polish market bypassed the typical seasonal slump. A Base Index score of 176 points (a 2% increase compared to June) demonstrates a clear rebound. For the first time in months, Polish consumers were shopping online more frequently while spending larger amounts per purchase, with cross-border sales also significantly driving this positive momentum. Ultimately, a retailer’s ability to turn this trend into long-term success will depend on preparing their tech infrastructure for growing business scale.

Key Insights:

• Base Index growth: the index reached 176 points in July 2026 (a 2% increase from 172 points in June), confirming the strong position of Polish e-commerce.
• Higher sales value and volume: online sales grew by 13.1% YoY, driven by a higher volume of transactions (+14.4% YoY).
• Cart value stabilizing above PLN 200: the average order value in July reached PLN 202.2 (+1.1% MoM), solidifying the positive trend from the previous month.
• Major contribution from cross-border trade: cross-border sales grew by 24.7% YoY, serving as a major pillar of revenue growth for Polish e-stores.
• The role of modern IT integration: handling a growing volume of orders requires reliable, real-time inventory synchronization across all sales channels.

What are the performance metrics for Polish e-commerce in July 2026?

The results published in the July 2026 Base Index report show no signs of a typical summer lull in the e-commerce sector. Quite the contrary. The July Base Index grew by 2% compared to June 2026, reaching 176 points. This marks a swift return to an upward trajectory after a slight dip in June (from 180 points in May to 172 points).

The total value of e-commerce sales in Poland increased by 13.1% compared to July last year. The market was primarily fueled by consumers’ growing tendency to buy more frequently – order volume surged by 14.4% YoY. Although the average basket value decreased by 1.2% YoY, this still marks the best YoY performance in months.

Importantly, both the number of completed orders and the average basket value grew month-over-month – by 0.9% and 1.1%, respectively. The average order value once again crossed the PLN 200 threshold, reaching PLN 202.2. Polish consumers did not cut back on online spending during the holiday period, treating digital channels as an essential way to purchase goods.

The Base Index is a monthly benchmark and report series tracking the health and growth dynamics of the Polish online retail market.

Rising cross-border sales for Polish e-stores

Sales to international customers remain a critical growth driver for Polish e-commerce. Base Index data for July 2026 indicates a 24.7% YoY increase in cross-border sales value.

Although this represents a slight deceleration compared to June (+32.1% YoY), cross-border trade remains one of the primary engines of Polish e-commerce.

The international expansion of Polish retail is driven by competitive pricing, broad product assortments, and increasing logistical maturity. However, scaling sales into new markets presents retailers with demanding operational challenges. To serve international customers efficiently, they require:

• Cross-border logistics automation: fast generation of customs documentation and automated handoffs to local courier networks.
• Dynamic currency and tax conversion: flexible management of currencies and local VAT rates based on the buyer’s country.
• Centralized data in ERP systems: unified analytics and warehouse management across all regions in a single system.

Why is seamless omnichannel key to success?

With transaction volumes rising and basket values holding strong, customers expect complete flexibility – they want to start a purchase in one channel and complete it in another without friction. Implementing a mature omnichannel model is no longer just a nice-to-have competitive advantage; it is a necessity for maintaining operational and financial efficiency.

For instance, a lack of real-time data synchronization can lead to overselling – a scenario where a product sold in a brick-and-mortar store remains visible as available online. This generates unnecessary operational costs and, most importantly, erodes customer trust.

Deploying a fully synchronized omnichannel environment eliminates these issues while delivering tangible business benefits:

• Efficient inventory utilization: access to a single, global inventory view enables order fulfillment from any location – including directly from store shelves (Ship-from-Store).
• Enhanced customer experience: shoppers gain complete flexibility through smooth services bridging online and offline environments, such as Click & Collect or hassle-free in-store returns.
• Lower costs and faster order fulfillment: automated data exchange shortens processing times and eliminates the need for manual stock adjustments.

How IT architecture powers automation and scalability

Handling growing transaction volumes – while maintaining high standards of customer service – requires stepping away from legacy, monolithic IT systems. Modern retail environments rely on a flexible architecture where individual modules communicate via APIs.

Adopting an API-first approach enables instant data exchange between the e-commerce platform, warehouse management system (WMS), ERP software, and in-store point-of-sale (POS) systems (find out more in the article How does a POS system work in a large retail chain?).

– In our experience delivering complex tech projects for leading retail chains, the real test for IT architecture comes during sudden traffic spikes. A flexible system environment acts as a buffer – it seamlessly absorbs load, routes order data without delay, and prevents warehouse bottlenecks. Businesses gain confidence that their infrastructure won’t cap growth during peak periods, while investing in a scalable integration setup enables faster responses to demand shifts and smoother entry into new channels, such as international marketplaces – says Marek Nowakowski, General Director of Exorigo-Upos SRL Romania.

Summary

July 2026 Base Index data confirms that Polish e-commerce is in a phase of mature and stable growth. A 13.1% YoY increase in total sales value, alongside strong cross-border expansion, proves the market’s high resilience to seasonal shifts. Retailers that connect digital and physical sales channels into a unified, modern transaction ecosystem will build lasting competitive advantage and drive customer loyalty.

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