Online shopping is now the preferred way for a majority of consumers to shop. With the ongoing challenges brought about by inflation, supply chain issues, and more, a crop of new small businesses, direct-to-consumer retailers, and ecommerce startups are gaining popularity with shoppers.
We’ve gathered 69 online shopping statistics, along with their key takeaways, broken into ten categories:
Online Shopping Stats: An Overview
1. Ecommerce sales are forecast to grow 10.5% in 2024
Ecommerce sales are settling back into their pre-pandemic tracks, with the growth of online sales estimated at 9.3% in 2023, amounting to $1.137 trillion. This is an 8.6% growth rate from 2022, when online sales reached $1.040 trillion. In 2024, while growth is still expected, it is not as high as in recent years, with an expected growth of 10.5%.
Source: Insider Intelligence
2. US ecommerce sales reached about $268.12 billion in the first quarter of 2024
According to the Digital Commerce 360 analysis of the US Department of Commerce data, first quarter ecommerce sales hit an all-time first-quarter high, accounting for 22.2% of total sales in Q1 2024 versus the previous high of 21.2% in 2023.
Sales are up 8.5% from the same quarter of 2023 ($247.18 billion).
3. There are 270.11 million online shoppers in the US
Research shows there are 270.11 million online shoppers in the US in 2024, an 8.1% increase from 2023 (20.31 million). Clothing is the most popular ecommerce category in the US, with 42% having bought from the category in the past year.
4. Nearly 60% of consumers prefer to shop online
The latest commerce report from GWI shows that 59% of global consumers prefer to shop online rather than in-store.
Among age groups, millennials are most likely to want to shop online (63%) while baby boomers are the only age group who prefer to shop in-store (54%).
5. Most online shoppers are 25 to 34 years old
There were 41.8 million online shoppers aged 25 to 34 years in 2022, the largest group among digital buyers. Here’s the full breakdown:
- 41.8 million 25-34 years
- 36.5 million 35-44 years
- 35.1 million 65+ years
- 32.3 million 45-54 years
- 31.8 million 55-64 years
- 26.5 million 18-24 years
- 10.7 million 14-17 years
6. Nearly half of mobile shoppers in the US are aged 18 to 24
As of March 2023, statistics show that the largest share of online shoppers based on mobile user data are from ages 18 to 24 in the US (Gen Z) at 46.9%. Meanwhile, those aged 25 to 34 make up 32%.
7. The average order value in the US is $166
According to Dynamic Yield, June 2024’s average order value (AOV) was $156 in the Americas. That number increased to $206 in July. In June, traffic from mobile drove the largest portion of visitors to US online shopping sites, at 74%.
8. The global average conversion rate is 3.52%
Globally, the average conversion rate for ecommerce websites in July 2024 was 3.52%. In July, the Americas witnessed the strongest conversion rates overall (3.59%), followed by EMEA (3.34%), and then APAC (2.63%).
Key Takeaways:
- As consumer preferences shift to online shopping, it is crucial to have an online presence and ecommerce store for your brand.
- Millennials and Gen X-ers are the biggest online shoppers, so knowing their consumer behavior and shopping habits will greatly help you in marketing your products.
Related free resources:
Consumer Behavior
9. 70% of consumers are open to trying a different brand for products they regularly buy
A study by Bazaarvoice noted that more consumers are trying a different brand for products they regularly buy, which is a great opportunity to attract and retain new customers. In fact, 60% of shoppers have purchased from private labels in the past year.
10. 76% of online shoppers shop for convenience
The majority of customers (76%) prioritize convenience in the shopping experience—which includes discovering, searching, purchasing, and more.
11. Direct home delivery is the primary reason for consumers to shop online
A hassle-free shopping experience is the primary reason consumers buy online, with 55% citing direct home delivery as a good reason to buy an item online. Avoiding crowds, convenience, and cheaper prices also make the list.
Aside from home delivery, US shoppers want shipping to be free. A whopping 83% of US shoppers say free shipping is important when shopping online, followed by a secure payment process (65%) and a free or easy returns policy (64%).
Source: GWI
12. 30% of US online buyers shop at least once a month
A Jungle Scout consumer report shows that 30% of Americans shop at least once a month while 21% shop two to three times a month, 14% once a week, and 5% more than once a day.
13. Online sales peak on Mondays, during the 25th to 28th days of the month, and in November
According to the 2023 Ecommerce Stats and Trends Report, online sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday have a big impact, making November a clear standout when it comes to online sales.
Additionally, online sales volumes significantly increase between the 25th and 28th of the month, mostly owing to payday. Monday has overtaken Thursday as the biggest online sales day; Saturday remains the day with the lowest amount of online sales.
When it comes to time, 10 a.m. is the peak hour for online buying, slightly earlier than over the last two years.
14. More than half of consumers research major purchases online
A consumer’s buying journey begins online, with 59% doing web research when planning a major purchase to ensure they are making the best possible choice.
15. 41% decide on online purchases by reading customer reviews
Positive customer reviews (user-generated content), instead of paid ads, are the biggest deciding factor for consumer’s online purchases, according to GWI’s 2022 flagship report on commerce trends. A notable 37% also cited a quick and easy checkout process, and 35% mentioned next-day delivery.
16. 17% of consumers discover brands from social media
Brand discovery is happening more online than ever. According to GWI’s latest commerce report, 17% of beauty shoppers discover brands from their social media pages, followed closely by endorsements by celebrities or well-known individuals (16%). Ads on podcasts came in third at 12%.
17. About 70% of shoppers consider the ability to shop in-store when deciding on purchases
In-store shopping is still important. However, customers look for a seamless online-to-in-store buying experience. For example, some 70% of shoppers factor in the availability of physical stores when buying.
In fact, 74% of in-store buyers said that they searched online for something related to the physical store first—such as the closest store near them, locations, hours, directions, wait times, and contact information—with 46% confirming inventory online before going to the store.
18. Younger consumers prefer BNPL for money management and flexible payment options
According to a PYMNTS 2022 study, 54% percent of Gen Z consumers, 57% of bridge millennials, and 60% of millennials said they would be interested in buy now and pay later (BNPL) from their banks. This is primarily because of money management issues (living paycheck to paycheck) and the preference for having a bank-issued card with mobile payment and online usage options.
19. 40% of shoppers are more likely to convert when an ad features user-generated content (UGC)
UGC is a convincing content format—4 in 10 online shoppers say they would be more likely to convert if a product ad features some sort of UGC. UGC could include customer reviews, customer photos, and even social posts. Images are most important—nearly three-quarters of shoppers say images will make them more likely to buy. And 53% say social media posts featuring images are more convincing than professionally shot product photos.
In fact, as many as 42% of online shoppers would purchase a product even if it had no professional photos, as long as there was some form of UGC.
Key Takeaways:
- A seamless buyer’s journey, social proof (reviews), and good website navigation make a great online store.
- Use peak sales data to optimize your product launches and sales announcements.
- UGC is a content goldmine. Shoppers are happy to share their social content when asked. So, ask away! Note that shoppers expect engagement when posting reviews. Responding to UGC-like reviews and tagged content contributes to a great customer service experience.
Online Shopping Technologies
20. Mcommerce sales exceeded $491 billion in 2023
According to estimates, mobile commerce (mcommerce) sales in the US exceeded $491 billion in 2023. By 2027, it is forecast to grow almost two-fold, amounting to $856 billion.
21. Mcommerce is expected to account for more than 40% of US ecommerce sales in 2024
Forecasts show that in 2024, mcommerce sales should reach $558.29 billion, accounting for 44.6% of ecommerce sales in the US.
22. The average order value for mobile purchases is $119
While many shoppers are turning to mobile shopping, they’re still placing larger orders when they shop on traditional devices like desktop computers. In fact, in July 2024, the average value of an order placed on a desktop was 20% higher than the average mobile phone order ($148 vs $119).
23. Shoppers tend to browse on mobile, with almost 75% of online traffic coming from mobile devices
Mobile traffic is higher than desktop traffic when it comes to online or window shopping (74.79% vs 25.21%). When it comes to online sales though, it is a close tie, with mobile making up 49% of online sales compared to desktop’s 51%.
Shoppers tend to change their devices—from their phones to their tablets or laptops, etc.—multiple times throughout the day. Online shopping, social media scrolling, and Google searches result in device switching—it is clear that a seamless shopping experience should be considered across these areas.
24. 9 out of 10 shoppers believe the mobile shopping experience can be improved
It is no longer enough that websites are accessible from mobile devices—it takes more than that to succeed in mcommerce. Some 90% of consumers believe mobile shopping can be improved, with only 12% of consumers, for example, finding mcommerce convenient.
Some of the impediments to mobile shopping are security concerns (42%), pages and links being too small to click (67%), interruptions from messages, apps, and other programs (36%), and difficulty finding what shoppers are looking for (36%).
25. Digital wallet payments are now more popular than credit card payments
According to the most recent Global Payment (GPR) report, digital payment methods have surpassed credit card usage in both online and in-person sales. Additionally, 49% of transactions in 2022 account for digital payments compared to 20% of credit card payments.
Related:
26. Gamification boosts engagement and encourages spending
The retail industry was an early adopter of “gamified” solutions, jumping out to a 28.6% share of the market, which is expected to grow 25.1% per year through 2026. Since online shopping can lack the interactive experience of in-store shopping, gamification amps up the hype by encouraging customer behavior (such as spending more) in exchange for additional benefits.
For example, customer acquisition can grow as much as 700% with gamification. Walgreens employed gamification tactics and reported an increase in engagement and loyalty by 30%.
Examples of gamification methods include promotional contests, spin-to-win opportunities, and tiered VIP loyalty programs.
27. Only 21% of brands are currently using AI tools
Even with all the excitement around AI, retailer adoption remains low, with just 21% of brands and retailers using AI tools according to a study conducted by Bazaar in August 2023.
And, only half (51%) plan to adopt AI tools in the near future. Concerns about inaccurate recommendations (51%), misinformation (45%), and data privacy breaches (40%) plague AI adoption in ecommerce.
28. Virtual and augmented reality lead to a 94% higher conversion rate when it comes to shopping
A Deloitte study says products that have AR experiences have a 94% higher conversion rate as shoppers can assess the product better and make them feel connected with the brand.
29. Half of shoppers have purchased from an email
More consumers (50%) have made a purchase directly from an email they received in the last year than from social media advertisements (48%) or posts (43%), SMS/MMS messages (24%), or banner advertisements (21%).
Related: Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing for Retailers
Key Takeaways:
- Think of mobile as a collection of highly accessible touchpoints—SMS, MMS, mobile wallet, email, web, or mobile app—for your online store. These help make your brand more accessible to consumers.
- Accept digital wallets as payment options to encourage spending because of their ease of use and increased security.
- Leverage technology. Visual search makes it easy for shoppers to find your product, and AR/VR technology allows them to have a deeper product experience.
Social Shopping (Social Commerce)
30. Around 2 in 5 younger shoppers make regular impulse purchases, mainly owing to social media
Discovery-led ecommerce—social media scrolling and the ability to buy directly from these platforms—has increased, with 41% of Gen Z and millennials making an impulse purchase online every two to three weeks, rising to 48% among daily TikTok users.
The leading motivation for impulse buys remains the same throughout age groups; 47% of impulse buyers cite taking advantage of sales or deals as the biggest reason for splurging.
Note, though, that social media “buy” buttons and influencer or celebrity recommendations are common reasons Gen Z and millennials give for impulse buying. Meanwhile, among older consumers, many do add last-minute surprises to their cart just because they fancy a treat.
Related:
31. Facebook is the leading social platform for online purchases
Nearly a quarter (23%) of global consumers rated Facebook as the social media platform delivering the best experience for social commerce in 2023. Instagram ranked second, with 18%, followed by YouTube and TikTok, at 8% each.
Key Takeaways:
- Sell on social: Choose a platform your audience prefers and focus there.
- Try live selling: Livestream shopping is a rising social shopping trend and has huge potential for sales, especially if your audience is on TikTok.
- Mix your social content with engagement and promotional posts: You don’t want your audience to feel overwhelmed with too much marketing and advertising. Social platforms are still content platforms, don’t just sell—create engaging content.
Related free resources:
- What Is Social Commerce?
- Social Commerce Statistics
- How-to guides on selling on social:
- Social media marketing: Influencer marketing, UGC for ecommerce, TikTok marketing, Pinterest marketing
- TikTok Live Shopping
Importance of Shipping
32. Free shipping is important to online shoppers
According to Shippo’s 2023 State of Shipping report, the percentage of online shoppers who refuse to compromise on free shipping is up year-over-year, with 62% saying they won’t purchase with a retailer if free shipping isn’t offered, and just 3% saying shipping costs don’t matter at all to them.
33. Nearly 50% of online shoppers will spend a minimum purchase amount to get free shipping
Consumers want free shipping, but fewer merchants are offering free shipping compared to last year (19% vs 22%). However, there is wiggle room for retailers to cater to consumer’s wants. Shippo’s State of Shipping report findings reveal that to get free shipping:
- 47% will spend a minimum amount on the purchase
- 42% will join a loyalty or membership program
- 30% will wait to purchase the item during a promotion
34. Delivery speed was less important to consumers in 2022
From the same report, only 10% of online shoppers wanted same or next-day delivery in 2022, down from 18% in 2021. Similarly, only 44% prefer or expect a 2 to 3-day delivery timeframe window, compared to last year’s 52%.
35. Reliability remains essential compared to timely delivery for consumers
While the timeliness of receiving packages was less of an issue in 2022, reliability remains essential; 19% of online shoppers aren’t likely to make a second purchase with a retailer that lost their package, and 42% say how the merchant resolves the issue determines whether or not they’d be a returning customer.
36. Customers expect to see shipping costs upfront on a retailer’s website
Shipping cost, average shipping time, when the item will ship, and expected delivery date are information most important for shoppers in order of priority.
There is a discrepancy here because even though 73% of merchants surveyed by Shippo are providing information about the cost of shipping upfront, less than half are letting potential customers know the average shipping time, expected delivery date, and item ship date on their product or checkout pages. Here is the breakdown:
- 49% Average shipping time
- 33% Expected delivery date
- 33% Item ship date
37. 45% of consumers want a retailer to let them know when an order is delivered
Consumers also want to be notified of a package’s journey all the way through to delivery, with 39% of customers tracking their packages once a day:
- 68% want a retailer to communicate with them when a purchase has shipped
- 66% want an order purchase confirmation
- 59% want to receive shipping updates
- 45% want a retailer to communicate with them upon delivery
38. Nearly half of online shoppers care most about free shipping on returns
Free shipping is the most important consideration when it comes to returning a purchase for 45% of US online shoppers, according to Shippo. In contrast, 24% of shoppers care most about the ease of processing a return. The same report shows that 84% of shoppers check a merchant’s return policy before making a purchase, and 91% will buy from the brand again if it’s easy to make a return.
39. Up to 69% of shoppers would abandon their carts if shipping costs are too high
Fast and free is the name of the game when it comes to shipping and fulfillment. As many as 69% of shoppers will even abandon their shopping cart completely if shipping costs are too high. In response, two-thirds of retailers offer next-day delivery—compared to just 48% in 2020.
Key Takeaways:
- Free shipping is one of the leading drivers of online sales. Shop around with different carriers to find the most cost-effective option.
- Omnichannel is the way to go! Adopt new processes like curbside pickup, local delivery, or click and collect to encourage more sales.
- Update customers every step of the way. Offer pre- and post-purchase peace of mind with order tracking and insurance.
Related free resources:
Online Shopping Reverse Logistics (Returns)
40. The average retail return rate is less than 14.5%
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average return rate in retail was 14.5% in 2023, lower than 16.5% in 2023.
41. Retailers lose $743 billion to returns every year
Returns management is costly. Total returns lead to $743 billion in lost sales for retailers in the US. For every $1 billion in sales, there are $145 million in returns.
42. Return fraud costs $13.70 per $100 of returned merchandise
Return fraud is becoming increasingly prevalent. For every $100 of returned products, retailers lose $13.70 to return fraud, an increase from $10.40 last year. In fact, many retailers are becoming skeptical of returns, even when a receipt is presented.
43. One-fourth of shoppers care about how easy it is to make returns
While 45% of consumers said free return shipping is most important to them when purchasing an item online, roughly one-fourth said it’s the ease of processing a return.
44. 70% of shoppers prefer to shop with those who offer self-service return options
More retailers are embracing omnichannel strategies, and this includes reverse logistics. More than 7 in 10 retailers allow online customers to make returns at their physical retail locations—even though the purchase was made online. Similarly, 70% of shoppers prefer to shop at retailers that offer self-service return options (such as mail-ins, in-store, and more).
Key Takeaways:
- Craft a well-written and clear retail return policy.
- Make it easy for customers to exchange items instead of requesting a refund. This can capture some of the potential lost revenue.
Related free resources:
Online Shopping on Amazon & Third-party Marketplaces
45. Amazon is the most visited online retail website in the world
Amazon registers 2.2 billion monthly visits in the US alone. This figure is thrice the monthly visits of eBay—at second place with close to 655 million monthly visits.
46. Amazon is the leading online marketplace in the US
In 2023, Amazon had the highest gross merchandise value (GMV) in the US with approximately $365 billion. It was followed by Walmart, with a GMV of roughly $134 billion.
47. Shoppers are more likely to buy from Amazon than elsewhere
Amazon is a clear favorite among US shoppers. More than one-third of consumers (34%) shop on Amazon once a week or more while 3% shop on the platform multiple times per day.
48. 52% of US shoppers use Amazon for product research
As of the second quarter of 2024, half of US shoppers (52%) head to Amazon first before going to search engines when doing product searches. This figure is 15% lower than the same period in 2022.
49. Most internet users shop on Amazon because of free and fast shipping
Consumers report a number of reasons for shopping at Amazon when making online purchases. The biggest reason US consumers shop at Amazon is free shipping (48%), followed closely by convenience (44%), and quick delivery (36%).
Key Takeaways:
Amazon is a trusted place to buy online, so shoppers unfamiliar with your brand are more likely to trust a purchase through Amazon than directly from you. Consider selling a select few products on Amazon and keeping the rest exclusive to your store and website. Include extra benefits for shopping directly, like referral codes, customer rewards, and discounts.
Online Shopping Trends Statistics
50. 73% of global consumers have changed their shopping habits because of the economy
One of the most noticeable trends of online shopping in the past year is reduced spending. The persistent inflation across the world has impacted how consumers spend according to the latest volume of the Shopper Experience Index (Bazaarvoice). They are choosing to buy and spend less on products, particularly for practical purchases (56%), delayable (61%), and non-essential (77%). When it comes to essential products, however, 54% have unchanged spending habits, while 21% are on reduced spending.
This trend holds stable across all demographics, although the study shows men are less likely than women to have changed their spending habits (69% vs 77%), while 66% of consumers aged 65 and above have altered their spending, compared to 78% in the 35 to 44 age group. These figures could be attributed to women being the budget keepers of households and the older population having stricter budgeting practices because of fixed incomes.
(Source: Bazaarvoice)
51. Social is the new search and checkout counter
Social is the cause of the divide from the usual online shopping trends—nearly half (49%) of shoppers agree they’re more likely to find products and services on social media than any other channel. A whopping 50% do their shopping research through social channels, and half of all the shoppers have bought something from social media in the past year.
52. Voice shopping experienced more than 100% growth in 2021
According to Voicebot’s Voice Shopping Consumer Adoption Report 2021, over 45 million US consumers used voice technology for their shopping experience in 2021, from just a little over 20 million in 2018—constituting 120% growth.
Among age groups, more than half (58%) of consumers aged 25 to 34 use voice search daily, and 43% of consumers 55 and older use voice search weekly.
53. Shoppers crave and expect personalization
According to Marigold’s The Consumer Trends Index 2023, consumers remain frustrated by the subpar attempts at personalized messages they receive from brands, with half of consumers feeling annoyed by irrelevant content or offers (49%) or being frustrated by messages that don’t reflect their wants and needs (42%).
Around a third are irked by messages that don’t recognize their shopping or loyalty card history (32%) or by messages based on information that they hadn’t shared directly with the brand (35%).
However, over three-quarters of consumers (77%) receive about the right amount or would like more messaging about personalized treats—a 7% increase since 2022.
And while 71% of brands think they’re winning on this front, just over a third of shoppers agree. There’s plenty of opportunity here—36% of shoppers feel “positive” about sharing more data with businesses if it means they’ll get a personalized experience. Plus, it’s good news for retailers. More than 7 in 10 consumers will shop more often with brands that offer personalization.
54. More shoppers are basing their purchasing decisions on user-generated content
Nearly half (43%) of US shoppers rely on UGC like ratings, reviews, photos, Q&As, and social posts, with the trend being particularly strong among younger age groups. Shoppers look to UGC to see if they are getting value for money (62%) and whether the product matches the description (44%). Seventy-eight percent of them gain confidence about their purchase when they see UGC.
However, branded content still plays an important role in the purchase process. A majority of shoppers still want to see both branded photos (83%) and shopper photos (76%) to make a confident purchase. It’s a similar trend with videos—73% of shoppers need to see branded videos on product pages, and 69% need to see shopper videos on those pages to make a confident purchase.
(Source: Bazaarvoice)
55. Consumers believe AI will improve their online shopping experience
Artificial intelligence has disrupted almost every industry, and shopping online is no exception. Consumers are looking forward to using it and are even excited about AI in online shopping—a recent Statista survey (May 2023) shows that one in two respondents believed price comparisons will work better, while 46% mentioned online search for shopping deals, and 41% believed AI will display relevant offerings.
Shoppers are also open to AI assistants, with 76% being open to having AI assistants responding to their questions and 45% trusting answers that they would receive immediately that were generated by AI (36% still said they would trust answers depending on the answer).
56. A hybrid online and in-person shopping approach is becoming the mainstream approach
Shoppers, especially the younger generation, are taking a hybrid approach when discovering, evaluating, and buying products. They can do their initial research in-store and buy online, or search online and buy products in-person.
Across age groups in the past year, 93% have purchased something online, 97% have purchased in-store, and half (50%) have bought something on social media. And consumers’ expectations are high—75% expect the same experience across all channels from brands.
(Source: Bazaarvoice)
Key Takeaways:
- Be updated with ecommerce trends.
- Implement voice search strategies—strong SEO strategy, product features, and review videos.
- Personalize through product recommendations, offers, and discounts.
- Keep an open mind about AI. You don’t have too much of an upfront spend on it as ecommerce platforms like Shopify have included free useful AI tools for their subscribers.
Read also: Online Shopping Trends Small Businesses Should Know
Holiday Online Shopping & Seasonal Spikes
57. Back-to-school spending was at $41.5 billion in 2023
Back-to-school (BTS) season is still a big sales period for retailers. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), total BTS sales in 2023 were at $41.5 billion, up from $36.9 billion in 2022.
58. The 2023 holiday season drove a $222.1 billion online spend
Online holiday spending slightly grew at 4.9% in 2023, driving a $222.1 billion spend (compared to $211.7 billion last year. The growth still didn’t reach the pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Source: Adobe Digital Insights, January 2024
59. Cyber 5 remains the peak of the holiday season
Cyber 5—the five-day stretch from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday—remains the busiest period of the season. Cyber Week took up 17.1% of the 2023 holiday revenue. It drew in $38 billion in sales, experiencing a 7.8% growth from last year.
Read more: 2023 Black Friday Cyber Monday Results
60. Cyber Monday is still the biggest online shopping day
Cyber Monday claimed the top spot among all Cyber 5 shopping days for online revenue and is the biggest online shopping day of the year to date, hitting $12.4 billion in sales.
Source: Adobe Digital Insights, January 2024
61. 51.1% of online retail sales for the entire holiday season were made on smartphones
2023 marks the biggest year ever for online shopping made through mobile devices, amounting to a record $113.5 billion (a 14.3% growth over 2022).
62. Deep discounts and BNPL fueled online shopping spending for the holiday season
According to the Adobe Digital Insights report, retailers provided double-digit discounts between 10% to 30% to incentivize stronger consumer spending. Electronics, toys, computers, and apparel had the biggest discounts of the season.
And to encourage holiday spending, retailers offered BNPL payment options. Total online BNPL spend during the holiday season (November to December) reached $16.6 billion, up 14% from last year.
To save on shipping, consumers chose standard shipping (up 6.7% from 2022) and relied on curbside pickup for last-minute gifts (BOPIS peaked at 37% of orders on December 23rd).
Key Takeaways:
- Start and plan early. Create a holiday retail gift guide and disseminate it to your customers via email, brochures, and direct mail.
- Offer customer financing with BNPL merchant apps.
- Improve your mobile shopping experience.
- Ensure your website is ready to handle the traffic surge on Cyber 5 weekend. Your support hotline should be able to take in inquiries and customer requests.
- Manage logistics. Provide multiple fulfillment options including curbside pickup and BOPIS.
Related free resources:
Inflation’s Impact on Online Shopping in the US
63. Ecommerce categories such as beauty and apparel are experiencing double-digit price increases
In the past decade, online shopping remained mostly immune to price upswings because it did not rely on the usual overhead costs that brick-and-mortar stores have. However, since inflation rose in the US to nearly 8.5% in March 2022 (a 40-year high), top ecommerce categories such as beauty and apparel are registering double-digit price surges in the US.
64. Food and beverages is where shoppers struggle the most price-wise
Rising grocery prices affect the wallets of 6 in 10 online shoppers in the US. Consumers also worry about “shrinkflation,” a strategy that may be used to counteract price increases by shrinking package sizes. This is commonly encountered when shopping for edible products such as snacks, pantry items, and frozen food.
65. Recommerce is on the rise because of inflation
A staggering 93% of US consumers have resorted to “recommerce” (buying used goods) to avoid the impact of inflation in the last 12 months. More than half of respondents also intended to shop secondhand more frequently in the future.
66. One in five US online shoppers take advantage of Prime Day to stock up on items that have increased prices due to inflation
Almost one in five online shoppers use Amazon Prime Day deals to stock up on items that got more expensive because of inflation in 2022. Over one-third of the surveyed US consumers even waited for Amazon Prime Day to purchase a product at a lower price.
67. Inflation has disrupted brand loyalty and purchase considerations
According to Morning Consult’s latest The State of Retail & E-Commerce report (H1 2023), inflation has had a dramatic effect on consumer’s buying habits.
- 63% of US adults are shopping at discount stores to save money, slightly down from 70% in the fall of 2022, but still a significant share.
- 72% of US shoppers are looking for deals and coupons, subsequently taking them away from their preferred stores.
- 70% are shopping less overall.
68. Off-price retailers are ticking upwards in the US
GWI reports that “luxury for less” retailers are increasing sales, with purchases from retailers like Marshalls and T.J.Maxx up 13% and 12%, respectively, since mid-2021. This matches Google’s own research where searches for “cheap holidays” and “designer outlet” surged in July 2022.
69. Clothing is the top choice for consumers to treat themselves during inflation
While there is a shift in buying priorities from treats to essentials, clothing, food delivery, and electronic items are the top three product categories consumers are more likely to spend on as a treat to themselves if they are on a budget.
Key Takeaways:
While there is no one answer for online merchants, here are some ways you can still make a profit despite the rising cost of operations.
- Order in bulk to keep a safety stock.
- Look for domestic suppliers. It may be worth looking into domestic partnerships because of increasing prices and issues at major seaports in the US, rising costs of labor in the countries of origin, and increasing transportation fees because of fuel costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through the questions below to get answers to some frequently asked questions on online shopping stats.
According to the Digital Commerce 360 analysis of the US Department of Commerce data, first quarter ecommerce sales hit an all-time first-quarter high, accounting for 22.2% of total sales in Q1 2024 versus the previous high of 21.2% in 2023.
According to Jungle Scout Consumer Trends Report of Q2 2024, 5% of shoppers purchase online once a day. There are 270.11 million online shoppers in the US in 2024. Assuming each buyer makes one purchase per year, 740,000 Americans would shop online per day.
According to Jungle Scout Consumer Trends Report of Q2 2024, 5% of shoppers purchase online once a day, 14% once a week, and 38% once a month.
Most online shoppers are 25 to 34 years old.
The latest 2024 commerce report from GWI shows that 59% of global consumers prefer to shop online rather than in-store.
According to a Statista report, online sales accounted for over 19% of retail sales worldwide in 2023.
Clothing and apparel is the most popular product category that US consumers buy online.
A Statista report shows global retail ecommerce sales reaching an estimated $5.8 trillion in 2023, indicating a 39% growth.
Bottom Line
Online shopping statistics show that having a digital presence is critical for retail businesses. It’s more than just a place to sell your products—consumers are also using retail websites and social media to discover products, read reviews, and compare pricing before making a purchase online or offline.
It is crucial to stay on top of consumer spending habits, trends, and buying behavior so you can strategize your marketing better.
