Online shopping has become a convenient and popular way to buy goods, but how much do you know about the trends and behaviors of online shoppers?
This list of 39 online shopping statistics will help you better understand online shopping.
Key Takeaways:
- Most consumers would rather shop online than in-store
- Online shopping market to be worth $8.1 trillion by 2026
- Social media commerce should be a focus for online retailers
General Online Shopping Statistics
1 in 5 Retail Purchases Expected to Happen Online in 2023
Online shopping has been steadily growing in popularity over the last ten years, but the lockdowns of the last few years really helped spur it on to be a more widely accepted way of shopping.
This means that in 2023, 20.8% of all retail sales are expected to occur through online platforms. By 2026, that’s predicted to grow to 24% of global retail sales.
$6.3 Trillion Global E-Commerce Market
In 2021, the worldwide e-commerce market was valued at $5.1 trillion.
This figure is expected to hit north of $6 trillion before the end of 2023 and continue growing to more than $8.1 trillion by 2026.
Online Shopping Demographic & Behavior Statistics
57% of Online Shoppers Shop Internationally
If online shoppers are unable to find the products they want via a local or national source, more than half of them (57%) will seek it out through an international vendor.
8 of 10 Shoppers Shop Online Once a Month or More
The benefits of online shopping such as direct delivery, saving money, and access to a wider range of products help spur ever-increasing numbers of consumers to shop online.
The consumers that try out online shopping enjoy these benefits so much that 80% of them report that they shop online once a month or more.
66% of Consumers Expect Free Shipping on All Orders
One great way that online businesses can attract more customers is with the promise of free shipping.
In fact, 54% of consumers report that they are more likely to make a purchase if shipping is free.
The negative side of this is that two-thirds of consumers expect shipping to be free on all orders.
Online Shopping Statistics by Gender
68% of Men Shop Online (72% of Women)
The great shopping divide doesn’t exist. According to data recently collected, males and females are almost equally as likely to shop online.
68% of males report that they have and do shop online, and females are slightly higher than this with 72% reporting the same.
Online Shopping Habits of the Genders Is Not So Different
The gender differences in online shopping habits aren’t as pronounced as we sometimes think.
Both genders like to spend on clothing and travel, with women slightly more likely to shop for clothing than men.
The starkest difference is in the technologies section. Males are more than twice as likely to shop for technology products online than females are.
Online Shopping Statistics by Age
25 – 34-Year-Olds Largest Group of Online Shoppers
Younger shoppers are more likely to shop online than older consumers. This is likely due to growing up in an “always-on” internet-connected environment that older generations are not accustomed to.
The 25 – 34 age bracket includes the younger portion of the Millennial age group (Zillennials) and the oldest Gen-Zers. These were the first group of people to grow up in a world where the internet always existed and was always on.
U.S. Specific Online Shopping Statistics
263 Million U.S. Online Shoppers
The United States of America is one of the largest and most lucrative shopping markets in the world with more than 300 million internet-connected people available to sell to.
The latest figures show that roughly 260 million U.S. citizens have made at least one online purchase before and most of them shop online regularly.
55% of U.S. Consumers Prefer Shopping Online
Following the last statistic is another one that’s great news for online business owners.
When given the choice of finding and buying a product in a real bricks-and-mortar store or ordering through an online store, more than half of U.S. consumers would prefer to shop online.
Factors such as shipping costs, concerns about security, and wishing to physically interact with a product before completing a purchase are some of the reasons cited for preferring an in-person shopping experience.
$1.1 Trillion in Online Sales in the U.S.
The U.S. online shopping market is one of the largest and most well-developed in the world.
As such, the U.S. online shopping industry is expected to generate more than $1.1 trillion in sales before the end of the year.
16.4% of Retail Sales in the U.S. Will be Online
The convenience of being able to buy everything you need without peeling yourself away from your sofa is one of the driving factors behind the popularity of online shopping in the U.S. and has become the normal way to shop for a large group of American shoppers.
It’s because of this growing popularity that this year analysts expect online shopping to account for roughly 16% of all retail sales in the States.
Average Spend of U.S. Consumers is $3.46 per Visit
The average amount spent on a single online shopping visit in the U.S. is $3.46, which is significantly higher than the global average which is just under $3.
The highest spending categories are electronics ($5.63) and furniture & appliances ($4.68), while the lowest is food & personal care ($2.32).
U.S. Has a Conversion Rate of 2.3%
The U.S. market has an online shopping conversion rate of 2.3%, meaning 2.3 out of every 100 visits to an online shopping website result in a purchase.
While this is actually a relatively reasonable number, it does fall a little below the global average of 2.6%.
It also falls some distance from the highest recorded conversion rate in the world, which is the 4.1% seen in the U.K.
Online Shopping Mobile Vs Desktop Statistics
Mobile Shoppers Abandon 84% of Carts
While smartphones give consumers the ability to shop while they take lunch, wait for a bus, or while using the toilet, it also means that there are more possibilities for consumers to abandon a shopping experience part-way through.
We can see this in the statistic that 84% of all shopping carts are abandoned on mobile devices, as opposed to the 72% that are abandoned on desktop devices.
91% Use Smartphones to Make Online Purchases
Smartphone use has become synonymous with the modern age to the point where most people have one and couldn’t imagine leaving home without it.
The world of online shopping has been affected by this change in consumer behavior in a big way, too: 91% of shoppers state that they have used and plan to use their smartphones to complete an online purchase.
Mobile Commerce Sales Expected to Make up to 6.5% of Retail Sales in 2023 ($360 Billion in 2021; $710 Billion in 2025)
While smartphone use has become nearly ubiquitous, the amount that online shopping through mobiles contributes to total retail sales is still relatively minor.
Analysts expect that by the end of the year, mobile online shopping will have contributed just 6.5% of all retail sales. By 2025, it’s expected to have crept up to 7.9%.
$155.75 Average Desktop Order Value ($112.29 on Mobile)
While consumers have embraced online shopping through mobile devices, they still prefer to spend more money when shopping on desktop devices. The average order value of a desktop online shopping experience is $155.75, while on a mobile device, that average falls to $112.29.
This is likely due to many consumers using their mobile devices for research rather than for making an actual purchase.
199.5 Million Mobile Shoppers by 2026 in the U.S.
In 2020, there were around 160 million online shoppers in the U.S.; in 2022, there were slightly over 180 million; and by 2026, analysts expect there to be almost 200 million. This shows us that the number of online shoppers is increasing, but it’s also slowing down.
Several reasons could explain this behavior, but the most obvious is that smartphone adoption rates are near universal with younger generations, and older generations are going to take some time to “age out” of the market space.
Online Shopping Platform & Discount Statistics
Amazon Makes Up 37.8% of All Online Shopping Sales
The online shopping giant Amazon is used by online shoppers in countries all over the world and continues to grow and expand its operations into new countries.
Its name is so synonymous with online shopping that it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that almost 40% of the entire globe’s online shopping sales are conducted through the Amazon platform.
Black Friday
$9.12 Billion Spent on Black Friday 2022
Every year Black Friday seems to break records, and last year was no different despite initial concerns that it would be a slow year.
The day saw total sales top $9 billion for the first time and slightly more than half of that was through mobile devices.
87.12 Million Shoppers
Online retail has been slowly eating into the space of brick-and-mortar retail stores for years, but in-store retailers have always had Black Friday to fall back on.
Traditionally it has been the biggest day of the year for in-store retailers, with some relying on it to make or break their year.
This year saw slightly over half of Black Friday shoppers do their shopping online instead of in person.
This shows that in-store retailers should think about moving their focus away from in-store promotions or make them more compelling than their online alternatives.
Cyber Monday
$11.3 Billion Spent on Cyber Monday 2022
Consumers broke records on Cyber Monday too as they spent more than $11.3 billion. A year earlier, consumers spent almost $10.7 billion, an increase of 5.8%. During the busiest hour of the day, consumer spending hit $12.8 million per minute.
77 Million Shoppers
Cyber Monday is traditionally an online-focused sales holiday; however, in-store retailers have gradually rolled this day into the 5 days of discounts and savings that begin on Black Friday; they offer deals and discounts to in-store shoppers, too. Despite this, the vast majority of shoppers (77 million) choose to find the best deals online rather than in brick-and-mortar retail stores (22 million).
Online Shopping Marketing & Advertising Statistics
Social Media
$1.3 Billion Spend Through Social Media Commerce in 2023
Last year, social media commerce amounted to around $992 million in sales globally. This year that figure is expected to grow by about 31% with total global sales totaling $1.3 billion.
Social Media Commerce to be Worth $2.9 Trillion by 2026
With more people today preferring to shop online than in-store and younger generations becoming stronger consumers, the sales revenue from online shopping is expected to almost triple over the next 3 years.
Estimates suggest that by 2026, online shopping will be worth $2.9 trillion in sales.
96.9 Million U.S. Consumers Shop on Social Media
American citizens are some of the most avid social media users anywhere in the world and certainly one of its most developed demographics.
This can be seen in the statistic that roughly one-third (around 96 million) of U.S. internet users are “social shoppers,” buying goods and services that are advertised to them through social media channels.
55% of People Aged 18 – 24 in the U.S. Have Made Social Media Purchases
Further reinforcing the view that American citizens have embraced social media commerce is the knowledge that more than half of anyone aged 18 to 24 years old has made at least one purchase through social media before.
As the youngest elements of Gen-Z enter the workforce, this will certainly increase.
50% of Chinese Citizens Have Purchased from Social Networks
U.S. citizens aren’t the only ones to have embraced social media shopping; in fact, in China it may be even more widespread.
Although data can be a little tricky to verify from this region, most analysts concur that 50% of the entire Chinese population (not just internet users) have made a purchase through a social media network.
Facebook is the Most Popular Social Commerce Platform
There are plenty of social media platforms that you can promote your business through, but Facebook is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to consumer popularity.
A recent study found that 51% of those surveyed reported using the social media giant for online purchases. So if you’re limited to choosing only one platform to advertise on, Facebook could be the best one for you.
Social Media Influence Has Affected 40% of Consumers
The desire to keep up with your friends, neighbors, and family members has always existed, and the advent of social media has in some ways amplified this.
A large percentage of social media shoppers certainly feel that way: 40% agree that they have made purchases that they probably wouldn’t have based on what they’ve seen people they know purchasing and using on social media. 49% said that an influencer had directly impacted their decision on whether or not to make a purchase, too.
Online Shopping for Business Statistics
Fraud Statistics
Online Retailers to Lose $48 Billion to Fraud
Purchases made using stolen or fake credit card information are known as e-commerce fraud, and retailers are expected to lose more than $48 billion to it this year.
Unfortunately, that is an increase on the $41 billion loss a year earlier, which represents a ~17% increase.
As more of the global population shifts to using online shopping over in-store shopping, that figure is expected to continue climbing. If you aren’t already, it would be a great time to invest in your business’s fraud prevention measures.
By 2025, E-Commerce Fraud Detection & Prevention Market to Be Worth $69 Billion
E-Commerce fraud is a significant problem for the online retail industry; however, it does mean that there is a sizable market for fraud detection and prevention services.
In 2020, the industry was valued at $28 billion, but with the Covid lockdowns creating the environment to get more people shopping online, the industry is on track to grow by 146% by 2025 and be worth more than $69 billion.
Average E-Commerce Fraud Loss Is $96
Individual instances of fraud are to be expected and on their own are usually manageable as the average loss due to fraud is $96.
However, if your business falls victim to multiple instances of fraud then you can see how this could quickly add up and potentially lead to thousands of dollars lost.
Abandoned Cart
48% of Abandoned Shopping Carts Are Due to Additional Costs
The primary reason that online shoppers fail to complete their online purchases is additional costs such as shipping costs, taxes, and other fees.
When faced with these fees, online shoppers will often look for the items they wish to purchase from another online vendor.
They will even resort to shopping in a brick-and-mortar store if they feel the additional fees are unreasonable.
Quarter of Online Shoppers Abandon Carts When Asked to Register for an Account
Another common reason for consumers abandoning an online shopping cart is the website requiring the shopper to create an account with the website.
For 24% of online shoppers, this is too much of a hassle and they choose to go to a competitor that sells the product for a comparable price.
So, asking your customers to sign up for an account is fine, but you shouldn’t make it a requirement in order to complete a purchase.
Slow Delivery Causes 22% to End Shopping Experience
One of the most appealing aspects of online shopping is how quickly a consumer can go from thinking about a product to purchasing it.
Slow shipping and delivery times don’t synchronize well with that experience and will cause 22% of shoppers to look for a competitor with faster shipping.
Payment Processing
Digital Wallet Payments as Popular as Credit Cards in the U.S.
Another indicator of how well online shopping is doing in the U.S. is the popularity of digital wallet systems.
A digital wallet limits the sensitive payment information consumers need to input into a given online store. While digital wallets took some time to be trusted and accepted by the public, they have now reached parity with credit cards in terms of popularity. Younger age brackets are especially fond of their use.
Delivery Services
Online Shopping to Fuel Growth of Last-Mile Delivery by 78%
Current last-mile delivery services are going to see demand for their service boom over the rest of this decade.
The number of consumers completing their shopping online has grown significantly over the last few years and with more and more people choosing online shopping over in-store shopping every day, the demand for those last-mile delivery services is only going to get bigger.
If the growth of online shopping continues as experts and analysts predict it to, then by 2030 last-mile delivery services will need to grow by 78%.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many People Use Online Shopping?
Roughly one-third (2.64 billion) of the global population has used online shopping at least once before. In the U.S., there are approximately 270 million online shoppers.
How Many People Shop Online per Day?
The estimated total of online shoppers last year was 2.14 billion. If we assume each person made just one purchase throughout the year, that would mean 5.86 million people are shopping online every day.
What Factors Influence Online Shoppers?
There are 5 main influencing factors:
- Website speed & ease-of-use
- Product presentation
- Website & payment security
- Shipping time & costs
- Trust & transparency
Why Do Online Shopping Platforms Fail?
There are a wide variety of reasons that online shopping platforms can fail, but some of the most common are:
- Selling products consumers don’t want.
- Unrealistic pricing.
- The website doesn’t rank on Google.
- High shipping costs.
- The website design is bad.
What Do People Buy Online the Most?
Clothing is the most popular purchasing category. In order of spending likelihood, women prefer clothing, travel, and household goods; while men prefer clothing, technologies, and travel.
Sources
Statista, Insider Intelligence, Semrush, Data Reportal, PayPal.
