The Explosive Growth of Online Shopping: Key Statistics and Trends
Online shopping has seen meteoric growth over the past decade, fundamentally changing how consumers discover, research, and buy products. As digital natives begin their prime spending years and technology makes buying seamless, online retail is projected to continue on an upward trajectory for years to come. Here‘s a data-driven look at the size and scope of ecommerce in 2024.
More than 2 billion people bought goods online in 2022
According to eMarketer, 2.14 billion people purchased goods online in 2021, up 6.3% from the previous year [1]. 68% of the world‘s internet users bought goods online at least once over the 12-month period. With internet penetration still increasing globally, online shoppers are estimated to surpass 2.5 billion by 2025 [2].
Ecommerce sales hit $5.5 trillion globally
Fueled by the growth in online shoppers, worldwide retail ecommerce sales skyrocketed to $5.5 trillion in 2022, up 60% from $3.35 trillion just two years earlier at the start of the pandemic [1].
The US and China dominate the ecommerce market
The United States and China together account for over 60 percent of global online retail spending [1].
In 2022, ecommerce sales in the US hit $1.05 trillion, up 12.8% year-over-year [3]. Online purchases make up 22% of total US retail sales, more than double the share five years ago [4].
Meanwhile, China‘s world-leading ecommerce market hit $2.95 trillion in 2022 sales [1]. Well over half of Chinese consumers shop online.
Clothing, footwear and accessories lead product categories
Apparel is by far the most popular online product category globally, with 49% of digital shoppers reporting they had bought clothes, shoes or accessories online in the previous month [1].
Consumer electronics (31%) and home furnishing items (27%) round out the top categories shopped for digitally.
Mobile drives the online shopping boom
Smartphones have put ecommerce in the palm of billions of hands globally.
Over 70% of online shoppers used mobile or tablet devices to browse and buy goods digitally in 2022 [5]. Shopping-related activities like comparing prices, reading reviews, locating stores and finding promo codes are predominantly done on smartphones as well.
As a result, eMarketer found that retail mcommerce sales hit $3.2 trillion in 2022, representing 58.5% of total ecommerce [1]. With mobile-first consumers like Gen Z coming of age, mcommerce will only grow in share.
Online holiday spending breaks new records
The holiday shopping season from November through December drives ecommerce more than other times of year. Adobe Analytics found that US consumers spent over $211 billion online during the 2022 holiday season, up 3.5% year-over-year [6].
Cyber Monday took the crown as the biggest online shopping day in US history, driving $11.3 billion in sales. Meanwhile, Black Friday drew over $9 billion in ecommerce purchases [6].
Cart abandonment remains high
With online shopping‘s ease and breadth of choice comes less friction to leave items unpurchased. Baymard Institute found an average cart abandonment rate of 69.57% across ecommerce sites [7].
The top reasons shoppers bail on checkouts include extra costs like shipping and taxes being more than expected (39%), wanting to search for coupon codes (27%), and requiring account registration (22%) [7].
Technical issues like errors and payment failures also result in droves of deserted carts. Reducing friction in the checkout flow is key for merchants to clinch sales.
Social commerce and influencers boost buying
Beyond Amazon reviews, consumers increasingly turn to social media and influencers for shopping inspiration and advice.
An NPR/Edison study found 51% of US online shoppers reported buying something they saw on social media [8]. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have introduced integrated shopping features, allowing discovery and checkout in-app.
Additionally, eMarketer reports that over 100 million US social network users are considered "social commerce buyers," making purchase decisions based on social media influencers and peers [9]. As the tech and retail worlds intertwine, social is becoming deeply embedded into consumer journeys.
Digital wallets gain mainstream adoption
Paying for online purchases has gotten simpler for many as digital wallets gain widespread usage. One-click payment methods stored in apps like PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay reduce checkout friction.
Worldpay‘s 2022 Global Payments Report found 49% of ecommerce transactions globally were made using digital or mobile wallets [10]. Digital wallets overtook credit cards (31% share), debit cards (13%) and charge cards (6%) to become the most-used online payment method.
Adoption is still rising rapidly, as 63% of consumers report using mobile wallets more since the pandemic began [10].
Same-day and next-day delivery win shoppers
Fast shipping times have become standard, making online more convenient for urgent needs. A Walker Sands study found 56% of ecommerce consumers identified same-day or next-day delivery as an important option when shopping online [11].
In response, retailers from Amazon to Target now offer free next-day shipping on thousands of items for members. Startups like Gorillas and Gopuff have also built micro-warehouses for 15 minute deliveries.
While most consumers still opt for free economy shipping, premium same-day services are growing quickly, expected to rise from 7% to 22% of shipments by 2025 [12].
Move over Millennials and Gen X — Gen Z is already reshaping shopping online. Born between 1997 and 2012, this young, diverse generation numbers over 2 billion globally [13]. They‘re true digital natives who‘ve never known a world without smartphones and Wi-Fi.
For online retailers, Gen Z‘s rising spending power and preferences will increasingly influence ecommerce in the years ahead.
Gen Z drives 95% of overall retail growth
While they still earn and spend less per capita than older generations, Gen Z‘s sheer size means their impact is dramatic. Consulting firm McKinsey finds that Gen Z currently drives 95% of total growth in global spending within fashion, lifestyle, food and beauty retail [14].
They rely on social media and influencers
With short attention spans, Gen Z consumers gravitate toward visual platforms. 90% use social networks like Instagram and TikTok for hours daily [14]. Instead of Googling, they turn to influencers — peers and celebrities they follow online — for product inspiration and trends.
Consulting firm Morning shows that 40% of Gen Z shoppers report purchasing items after seeing them on social media or hearing about them from an influencer [15]. They have less brand loyalty and trust networks over corporations.
Mobile shopping is huge
It‘s no surprise that a generation that spends over half their waking hours on mobile devices prefers shopping there too [14]. Google finds that nearly 70 percent of Gen Zers use smartphones for online shopping tasks like product research, reviews and actual purchases [16].
Retail apps exceed mobile sites in popularity, offering push notifications and fast checkout. Depop, Shein and Amazon are top downloads.
Gen Z flock to secondhand sellers
Unlike millennials and older generations, Gen Z consumers actively choose to shop secondhand for some categories.
A recent study by ThredUp found that 72% of Gen Z shoppers had bought apparel resale items [17]. Compared to 51% of other age groups. Driving the trend are value prices as well as sustainability and individuality.
Sites like Depop, Poshmark and ThredUp itself have built loyal Gen Z user bases. Resale is projected to grow 3x faster than traditional retail in coming years.
Breaking ecommerce down by gender reveals some predictable divides — but the lines are starting to blur. According to Statista, roughly equal percentages of men (68%) and women (72%) made an online purchase of some kind in the previous month [18]. Drilling down further exposes divergences:
Women lead in apparel spending
Clothing and accessories have long been female-dominated shopping categories both online and off. Statista found that 40% of women had recently bought clothes, shoes or sports goods digitally compared to just 29% of men [18].
Categories like jewelry and handbags remain almost exclusively the domain of female shoppers. That said, men‘s online apparel spending is rising fast as expectations around style and fit ease.
Men splurge on tech and travel
Affinity for gadgets and toys makes electronics a top ecommerce category for men. 39% of male digital shoppers had recently bought computer hardware and accessories, the leading category versus just 23% of women [18].
Travel bookings also show a pronounced gender divide. Statista found 21% of online men had booked trips or hotels online versus just 15% of women [18]. Business travel volume likely contributes to the gap.
Overlap grows for media, food and home
In some sectors historically skewed female like groceries and home goods, men are shopping almost as much online today. Statista found a small split between men (18%) and women (23%) buying food online [18].
And entertainment media like books, music, and movies displayed essentially equal numbers of male (27%) and female shoppers (26%).
As more categories digitize and expectations evolve, gender preferences will likely continue neutralizing outside historically gendered products.
The holiday shopping season drives peak annual ecommerce demand, far above any other time of year for most categories. And no two days surpass Black Friday and Cyber Monday in sales and traffic frenzy.
Black Friday 2022: $9.12 billion in online spending
Black Friday 2022 surpassed $9 billion in US online retail sales for the first time according to Adobe Analytics [19]. While foot traffic still concentrates in physical stores, digital is taking the lion‘s share of volume.
Adobe found online Black Friday sales grew by 2.3% year-over-year while brick-and-mortar store revenue dropped by 6% [19]. As major retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target offered early access discounts throughout November, more spending likely shifted online sooner.
Top-selling categories show electronics and toys typically shine with deep discounts:
- Toys: $3.2 billion
- Electronics: $2.7 billion
- Fashion: $700 million
Cyber Monday 2022 Hits Record $11.3 Billion
The Monday after Thanksgiving has emerged as the biggest online shopping day of the year with deep discounts.
Cyber Monday 2022 set a new record, driving $11.3 billion in US ecommerce sales according to Adobe [19]. The total represented a 5.8% increase over Cyber Monday 2021.
As expected, office electronics and work-from-home furniture sold particularly well:
- Electronics: $4 billion
- Smart Home: $850 million
- Furniture: $650 million
While US and Chinese online retailers dominate globally, localized players also claim significant market share across Europe, Latin America and Asia. Here are the current standings:
Amazon Reigns in the US But Growth Slows
It‘s no surprise Amazon owns nearly 40% share of US ecommerce according to eMarketer, commanding more than triple runner-up Walmart [20]. Prime membership exceeding 200 million households keeps consumers loyal.
But Amazon‘s domestic growth is slowing. In 2022, US retail ecommerce growth through Amazon was just 7.1% versus 15.3% off-platform — sellers using Shopify, social channels, and their own sites [20]. Smaller brands are capturing more spend through differentiated offerings and social buzz.
#1 and #2 Globally: Chinese Giants Alibaba and JD.com
China‘s two ecommerce superstars boast scale US players can‘t rival thanks to China‘s vast, tech-savvy buyer base and lack of global competition.
Alibaba claimed a leading 18.9% share of all Chinese ecommerce in 2022, though growth has slowed recently [21]. Flagships Taobao and Tmall together exceeded $1.5 trillion GMV just as Singles Day in November 2022 [22].
Hot on its heels, chief rival JD.com grew over 20% to hold 17.4% market share [21]. JD is known for authentic products, fast same-day delivery including groceries, and quality white-glove service.
Top players across Europe: Amazon, Otto, Ozon, Allegro and more
While no single firm leads ecommerce across Europe, domestic champions lead in key countries. German group Otto claims over €10 billion in online sales across fashion, home and lifestyle [23].
Poland‘s ecommerce leader is fast-growing marketplace Allegro with over 130 million offers and 7 million monthly buyers [24]. Russian rival Ozon saw its online gross merchandise value triple to 550 billion rubles (over $9 billion) since 2020 [25].
And of course, Amazon continues eating into national leaders‘ market share across Europe. Its Prime membership exceeds 150 million across key Western European markets like Germany, UK and France [26]. Smaller rivals will need to consolidate to compete.
The rise of social commerce through Facebook Marketplace, Instagram shopping and TikTok will likely shift share away from the largest general marketplaces. But the giants remain dominant for now.
Ecommerce has permanently changed shopping habits and its growth shows no signs of slowing. Online purchases now account for over 20% of total retail spend in leading markets like the US and China, but still remain below 15% in much of the world. As technology infrastructure and digital skills spread, global adoption of shopping online will only rise.
Understanding current consumer behaviors and industry trends is essential for retailers looking to navigate this new paradigm. Mobile‘s dominance, social commerce and generational shifts like Gen Z will rapidly transform what consumers expect. Operational elements like fulfillment and payments will also require innovation to meet convenience demands from both online and hybrid shoppers.
Brands that continually analyze changes in online shopping data — while also anticipating what‘s next — will thrive in the digital decade ahead.
