Survey shows strong holiday e-commerce confidence

MANILA — Small and medium-sized businesses across Asia Pacific (APAC) and Europe are entering the 2025 holiday season with confidence, driven by a surge in cross-border e-commerce and growing consumer demand for affordable, fast delivery, according to a new survey commissioned by FedEx.

Released in December 2025, the FedEx survey gathered insights from 850 APAC consumers, 850 APAC SMEs, and 1,205 European businesses actively engaged in international trade. It revealed that over 70% of APAC and more than 80% of European businesses expect stronger holiday sales this year compared to 2024.

Conducted in September, the survey covered 13 APAC markets, including the Philippines, and nine European countries. The findings highlight how major online shopping festivals such as Double 11, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are driving seasonal demand, with 91% of APAC businesses and 83% of European SMEs viewing these events as critical to capturing holiday sales.

E-commerce continues to be a dominant channel, with 88% of APAC consumers planning to complete at least 25% of their holiday shopping online. Over half (53%) said they intend to shop more online this season than last year. Notably, 83% of APAC shoppers consider online festivals when making holiday purchase plans.

However, consumers remain concerned about shipping reliability. Nearly nine in 10 APAC shoppers identified fast and affordable delivery as essential, while 55% cited past delivery delays and 45% pointed to high shipping costs as recurring issues.

These concerns directly impact buyer behavior. About 53% of APAC consumers said they are more likely to purchase from European sellers offering lower shipping costs, and 50% are influenced by faster delivery times.

To meet these expectations, businesses on both continents are strengthening operations. Approximately 29% of APAC and 33% of European companies are improving their fulfillment and delivery capabilities, while 34% of APAC and 32% of European businesses are enhancing customer service. A strong 85% of firms in both regions expressed confidence in meeting holiday delivery deadlines.

“In Asia Pacific, the festive gifting season stretches well beyond Christmas and into Lunar New Year, creating one of the world’s most dynamic windows for cross-border commerce,” said Salil Chari, senior vice president, Marketing and Customer Experience, FedEx Asia Pacific. “With e-commerce surging across APAC and Europe, e-tailers are gearing up to maximize sales. Through our extensive network and smart, intuitive digital solutions, we’re helping businesses on both sides deliver exceptional customer experiences, streamline logistics particularly during the business holiday season, and succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.”

FedEx Philippines Managing Director Maribeth Espinosa noted the country’s unique position in global trade during the holidays. “The Philippines celebrates one of the world’s longest holiday seasons, from September through the New Year—a period that, combined with our fast-growing e-commerce ecosystem, creates tremendous opportunities for cross-border trade,” she said. “More Filipino MSMEs and e-tailers are connecting with international customers, while local shoppers increasingly embrace global purchases. At FedEx, we’re committed to fuelling this growth by helping businesses expand globally and ensuring shipments arrive on time for every celebration.”

To support businesses, FedEx has integrated its Ship Manager® platform with major e-commerce marketplaces such as Shopify and BigCommerce. This allows online sellers to create shipments and manage paperwork directly from their order dashboards, simplifying fulfillment during peak seasons.

The company also offers FedEx® International Connect Plus (FICP), a cost-effective international shipping solution that typically delivers most shipments within one to three business days across APAC, Europe, and the U.S.—aligning with rising consumer expectations for faster delivery.

For last-mile delivery, FedEx has deployed approximately 260,000 smart lockers across the APAC region, enabling secure and convenient package pickups. Additional services such as FedEx® Delivery Manager International and Picture of Proof Delivery provide real-time tracking, direct messaging, and visual confirmation that packages have arrived at their destinations.

This online survey was conducted by Milieu Insight in September 2025 across 13 Asia Pacific markets including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; and by Mortar Research across 9 European markets including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Belgium and Germany. The survey gathered insights from 1,205 European engaged in international trade, alongside 850 Asia Pacific consumers and 850 SMEs who actively trade with Europe. Click here to download the full report (https://www.fedex.com/en-sg/business-insights/sme/asia-europe-trade-report.html).