What Australia’s Most Loved Retailers Reveal About Modern Delivery Expectations in 2025

The 2025 Power Retail Most Loved Retailers Report from Power Retail sets a clear benchmark for what Australian shoppers expect today, as well as what they’re no longer willing to tolerate.

After surveying 3,093 online shoppers and ranking retailers using the Power Retail Index for Customer Experience (PRICE), the report shows that the brands Australians love most all share one thing in common: they execute brilliantly on delivery, convenience, and ease of experience.

This year’s result is something that we should all know by now. The real driver of customer loyalty isn’t product range or discounting. It’s the quality of the experience from the moment an order is placed to the moment it lands in a customer’s hands.

Australia’s Standout Retailers of 2025

The top three retailers this year are:

• Adore Beauty – PRICE score: 248

• THE ICONIC – PRICE score: 247

• Dan Murphy’s – PRICE score: 241

Their success aligns closely with what online shoppers value most: fast delivery, low effort, and dependable service.

Why These Brands are Winning the Australian Ecommerce Market

Fast, predictable delivery remains the most important factor in customer experience. Adore Beauty and Appliances Online are praised for express delivery, value-added touches like samples or white-glove installation, and friction free returns contribute to overall satisfaction.

THE ICONIC achieved the lowest effort score in the rankings, reflecting its simple returns, accurate delivery preference windows, and consistent customer interactions.

Omnichannel consistency also drives loyalty. Retailers like Kmart, Chemist Warehouse, BCF, and Myer excel with Click & Collect, real-time stock visibility, and seamless transitions between store and online shopping.

The common thread across top retailers is their investment in systems that keep inventory, fulfilment, and delivery tightly aligned.

Online Retailers Closing In On the Big Three

Right behind the top three, a strong cohort of Australian retailers demonstrates that reliable delivery experiences, friction-free returns, and operational precision drive customer loyalty.

Appliances Online stands out for same day delivery and proactive post-purchase support, Kmart for Click & Collect and real-time stock visibility, and MECCA for combining personalised experiences with effective loyalty programs.

Collectively, these retailers show that shoppers value speed, clarity, and consistency. This reinforces a key trend in the Australian ecommerce market: success is built on a friction-free, trustworthy, and seamless online shopping experience.

What Shoppers Actually Valued in 2025 (And in 2026!)

Convenience Leads

Online shoppers now expect friction-free experiences as the baseline. Retailers that make it easy to shop online through Click & Collect, mobile-friendly checkout, or real-time stock visibility earn repeat business. Kmart and Appliances Online are strong examples of brands removing friction across the customer journey, making convenience a core expectation rather than a differentiator.

Fast, Predictable Delivery

Reliable delivery is critical for building trust with shoppers, and over half of shoppers rate free delivery as a key factor when choosing where to shop online. Retailers that dispatch quickly, provide accurate ETAs, and simplify returns see higher loyalty and online spend.

Behind the scenes, platforms like Transvirtual help retailers manage freight visibility, tracking, and dispatch efficiently, supporting the smooth, predictable delivery experiences that shoppers now expect

Loyalty Programs with Tangible Benefits

Loyalty programs enhance customer experiences but cannot replace poor delivery. Programs like Myer One and Beauty Loop work best when combined with reliable service, offering early access, personalised deals, and exclusive perks that reward repeat purchases.

Personalisation and Community

Personalised experiences build trust, especially among millennials and Gen Z. MECCA, Bonds, and Adore Beauty connect with shoppers through behaviour-based recommendations, educational content, authentic reviews, and inclusive campaigns. These strategies are effective only when delivery, convenience, and reliability are already solid.

Technology: The Quiet Advantage Behind the Leaders

Top retailers rely on well-integrated systems to keep orders, inventory, fulfilment, and delivery aligned. This coordination is critical in regional areas or during high-demand periods like Cyber Monday, ensuring a smooth online shopping experience and minimizing delays or errors.

A Freight Management System (FMS) like what Transvirtual offers enables retailers and logistics operators to:

• Integrate seamlessly with retail and ecommerce platforms, keeping data synced across channels

• Manage inventory and fulfilment, ensuring stock levels and allocations are accurate

• Automate order allocation and dispatch, reducing manual work and errors

• Track freight and ETAs in real time, providing reliable delivery information to shoppers

• Generate actionable reports and insights to improve operational efficiency

By connecting every step of the supply chain, an FMS ensures that delivery expectations are consistently met, supporting high customer satisfaction without relying on flashy features.

Deliver Experiences, Not Just Products

Rising costs of living are forcing shoppers across Oceania to be more selective. In Australia alone, over half will switch retailers if their delivery preferences or overall shopping experience fall short.

Express and same-day delivery, transparent tracking, and friction-free returns have become a top delivery preference for trusting online retailers, where online marketplaces compete to provide a great online shopping experience.

While product range and fashion remain important, the leaders of 2025 excel by delivering consistently across every interaction, from browsing and checkout to delivery and returns.

Retailers who combine speed, convenience, personalisation, and reliability capture loyalty, boost online consumer spending, and maintain trust even as cost pressures grow.