You probably won’t be all that surprised to hear the world of online retail is booming.
In fact:
I’m pretty sure you bought something online not that long ago. Perhaps that fancy new navy handbag you’d been eyeing up for a while? Or Liverpool’s snazzy new home jersey?
I thought so.
The likes of Amazon and eBay will try to sell you anything from eBooks to cufflinks. And they’re incredibly good at it, as the latest ecommerce statistics show.
What’s more:
It’s not just the big boys these days. Plenty of smaller companies are going beyond traditional brick-and-mortar stores and embracing ecommerce.
Are you curious to find out more?
Then read on.
But before digging deep into every interesting stat, let’s have a look at some important fascinating facts first.
Mind-blowing Ecommerce Statistics
- Ecommerce sales worldwide are projected to hit $4.5 trillion by 2021.
- There are 1.92 billion global digital buyers in 2019.
- By 2040, over 95% of all purchases will be made online.
- 30% of online shoppers are likely to make a purchase from a social media network like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
- 85% of all social media purchases in 2018 came from Facebook.
- 40% of ecommerce purchases made during the 2018 holiday season were completed on a smartphone.
- Offering free delivery encourages 9 out of 10 people to buy.
That’s a lot to take in, isn’t it? So, let’s break down these ecommerce statistics by country.
Global Ecommerce Stats
1. According to ecommerce growth statistics, ecommerce sales worldwide are projected to hit $4.5 trillion by 2021.
(Source: Disruptive Advertising)
- In 2014, the ecommerce market was worth $1.3 trillion.
- In 2018, the figure stood at $2.8 trillion.
- In 2019, ecommerce sales worldwide are worth $4.1 trillion.
The trend is undeniable. As global ecommerce statistics demonstrate, the industry has skyrocketed in the past five years and is well set to continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Small wonder venerable high street brands like UK clothing retailer BHS have been going bust or facing increasing difficulties in recent years.
2. How many people shop online today? There are 1.92 billion global digital buyers in 2019.
(Source: Statista)
- There were 1.66 billion global digital buyers in 2016.
- By 2021, over 2.14 billion people worldwide are expected to buy goods and services online.
- PayPal is the preferred payment method amongst online shoppers worldwide, with more than 40% of digital buyers using the service.
- Offering free delivery encourages 9 out of 10 people to buy.
In case you were wondering “What is global ecommerce?”, you now have your answer. About 25% of the world’s population are digital buyers.
This is huge!
While some shoppers choose to make online purchases for the sake of convenience, others go for the competitive prices some ecommerce platforms offer. Why spend more on the same product if you can help it? It’s a no brainer, really.
3. Digital commerce facts tell us China is the largest ecommerce market in the world, worth $740 billion in 2019.
(Source: Shopify)
- The US is the second-largest ecommerce market, estimated at $561 billion.
- The UK is the third-largest ecommerce market, worth $93 billion.
- Japan is the fourth-largest ecommerce market, estimated at $87 billion.
- 85% of the world’s purchasing power exists outside the US.
These are among the most unexpected ecommerce statistics in 2019. After all, most people assume the US is still the largest market in the world. But that’s clearly not the case when it comes to e-business.
Here’s the key takeaway:
If you want to make it big, you have to think globally. Click To Tweet4. 83% of China’s population has purchased goods or services online.
(Source: Shopify)
- 83% of South Koreans are online shoppers.
- 82% of the UK population has bought something online.
- 81% of Germans are online shoppers.
As these astonishing ecommerce stats and facts demonstrate, there are as many as 1.15 billion Chinese online shoppers! Who knew? And while the average amount of money a Chinese buyer spends online is only a third of what his American counterpart does, there are a lot more Chinese customers out there.
What’s more:
Several other countries have higher online shopping penetration than the US. These stats shed ample light on the nature of ecommerce around the world market.
5. By 2040, over 95% of all purchases will be made online.
(Source: Kinsta)
- 4 out of 10 purchases are made using only an online channel for searching and buying.
- 32% of online shoppers own at least one connected home device.
- 55% of online shoppers tell friends and family when dissatisfied with a product or company.
We already live in a largely digital world in 2019, as these worldwide ecommerce statistics make abundantly clear. This trend will only intensify. So, retailers are going to continue migrating online at a rapid pace over the next two decades until virtually all purchases are digital.
6. 75% of online shoppers want to buy products in their native language.
(Source: Shopify)
- 59% of online shoppers rarely or never buy from English-only sites.
- 67% prefer navigation or content in their language.
- 16% abandon their shopping cart if their preferred payment option isn’t available, according to cart statistics.
Even though English is the language of global ecommerce, it’s vital to localize customer experience. Offering regional and/or language-specific content, local currencies, and various payment options is absolutely crucial to running a successful online store in this day and age. Click To Tweet
For example:
If you sell women’s shoes, keep in mind size 7 in the US is size 5 in the UK, size 38 in Europe, and size 24 in Japan.
US Ecommerce Facts
7. Retail ecommerce sales in the US are projected to surpass $735 billion in 2023.
(Source: Statista)
- Apparel, footwear, and accessories retail sales are projected to generate nearly $146 billion in revenue by 2023.
- Hobby & stationery was the fastest-growing e-retail category in 2017.
- In Q3 2018, 9.6% of retail sales in the US were made online.
As mentioned above, US ecommerce statistics show the market currently lags to the Chinese one in terms of total revenue. That being said, there’s plenty of room for expansion. Sales are expected to grow at a steady rate over the next few years. Great news for US online retailers!
8. In 2018, Amazon was the most popular online store in the US, generating $62.9 billion.
(Source: Statista)
- walmart.com was ranked second, with $14,7 billion.
- apple.com was third, with $9.77 billion.
- homedepot.com was ranked fourth, with $6.94 billion.
It should come as no surprise that the behemoth that is Amazon makes about twice as much from online sales as its three closest competitors combined. Ecommerce stats demonstrate that what started as a humble online bookstore has gradually expanded into the undisputed titan of the industry. And whereas most other companies on this list also have brick-and-mortar shops, Amazon is a web-only merchant.
9. In 2018, there were 258.9 million US digital buyers.
(Source: Statista)
- In December 2017, millennials accounted for 30% of online shoppers.
- In December 2017, women accounted for 52% of online shoppers.
- In 2017, 29% of digital buyers said they shopped online once or twice a week.
- In December 2017, 41% of online shoppers had a household income of less than $50,000.
- Ecommerce mobile statistics suggest 40% of ecommerce purchases made during the 2018 holiday season were completed on a smartphone.
These ecommerce statistics give us a pretty clear picture of the average American online shopper. Women represent 50.8% of the US population, so they’re just as likely to shop online as men. It should come as no surprise that nearly a third of US digital buyers are millennials, as they feel at home online.
What’s more:
They need to find the best online shopping deals on products and services if they’re ever going to be able to pay off those huge student loans!
Ecommerce Statistics for Europe
10. Ecommerce in Europe will be worth €621 billion by the end of 2019.
(Source: Ecommerce News Europe)
- This is an increase of 13.6% compared to 2018.
- Digital buyers in Northern Europe spend the most: €2046 per year.
- The average online shopper spending in the whole of Europe in 2019 is €1464.
- In 2018, over 85% of consumers in Switzerland, Denmark, and the UK shopped online.
According to the latest ecommerce statics for 2018 and 2019, the European market is experiencing robust growth in the most important countries like Germany, France, and Italy. However, you should keep in mind that there’s considerable variation across the continent.
11. Ecommerce sales make up 7.94% of UK GDP in 2019.
(Source: Ecommerce News Europe)
- The average UK online shopper will spend £3330 in 2019.
- In 2018, 52% of UK digital buyers preferred to pay via credit or debit card.
- Fashion and sporting goods are the most popular ecommerce category in the UK.
According to the latest ecommerce statistics for the UK, the market continues to expand. A number of ecommerce events are held in the country throughout the year.
However:
With the country set to leave the European Union on 31 October 2019, it is not possible to predict whether the UK will continue to enjoy ecommerce growth in 2020.
12. In 2019, the German ecommerce market is worth €66.5 billion.
(Source: Statista)
- 38% of German online shoppers use ELV (Elektronisches Lastschriftverfahren), an electronic direct-debit payment method supported by banks.
- A study from Deutsche Card Services argues the east-west difference in German online retailing has disappeared.
- According to ecommerce statistics for 2017, Amazon is the biggest online shop in Germany, with revenues of €8.82 billion.
Even though Germany has the largest economy in Europe, the German ecommerce market lags behind the UK’s. One reason for that is the high return percentage. According to some ecommerce return rate statistics, roughly half of all orders get sent back.
And now that we know the state of the global ecommerce market in 2019, let’s look at some:
Social Media Ecommerce Statistics
13. 30% of online shoppers are likely to make a purchase from a social media network like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
(Source: Disruptive Advertising)
- Social media recommendations influence 23% of online shoppers.
- In January 2019, there are approximately 2.3 billion monthly active social networking users worldwide.
- Posts that feature photos have an 84% higher click-through rate.
Social media is a gold mine for online retailers. Come up with some catchy, interactive content that tries to engage potential customers, play your cards right, and you’re likely to wind up with a windfall. Click To Tweet
But how about specific social media platforms?
Check out these amazing ecommerce stats:
14. 85% of all social media purchases in 2018 came from Facebook.
(Source: Disruptive Advertising)
- Facebook earned $16.6 billion from advertising in Q4 2018.
- 93% of businesses use Facebook for marketing.
- 39% of Facebook users follow brands to receive a special offer.
- 44% of Facebook users said the platform influenced their buying decisions more than other social media networks.
In a nutshell, Facebook remains the undisputed leader of social media online retail. While younger consumers have been migrating to platforms like Instagram for a few years now, Facebook still has the highest number of active users worldwide by a country mile. And they’re all potential customers, as small business ecommerce statistics confirm.
But Facebook isn’t the only major player in town:
15. 60% of Instagram users say they discover new products on Instagram.
(Source: Instagram)
- 200+ million Instagram users visited at least one business every day in November 2017.
- 500,000+ businesses worldwide advertise on Instagram according to ecommerce sales by country.
- 89% of marketers said Instagram was important to their marketing strategy in 2018.
Even though Instagram still lags behind Facebook by a considerable margin, it’s making huge strides to catch up with its older sibling.
In fact:
Ecommerce stats convincingly show Instagram is already the most strategically important platform for influencer marketing. Besides, it’s also a major trendsetter with millennials, a demographic of crucial importance to ecommerce business owners.
And on that note:
Conclusion
Whether you already own a small shop selling tailored shirts in downtown Manhattan or you’re thinking about starting a brand new cider retail store in Vieux Montreal, you should definitely consider taking your business online.
You might be wondering:
“How much does the average ecommerce site make?”
The answer is – just over $150,000 in monthly revenue.
That’s the cherry on the cake.
And here’s the bottom line:
Online retail is skyrocketing, as the most recent ecommerce statistics make abundantly clear. The only way is up. Why not get on board?
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