What Percentage of Retail Sales are eCommerce?

Last updated: March 10, 2024

Highlights. eCommerce represents 15.09% of all U.S. retail sales revenue from 2023, up 5.58% YoY.

  • 19.7% of global retail sales revenue is e-commerce. 
  • The monthly record for U.S. online purchases was 17.4% of retail sales dollars in November 2023.
  • According to projections, 22.8% of all retail sales worldwide will be online by 2026.
  • The seasonally adjusted* average e-commerce percentage for 2023 was 15.41%.

*Data is not adjusted unless otherwise noted; seasonal adjustment compensates for annual peaks and valleys in the retail market and more accurately reflects market health.

Grouped Bar Graph: eCommerce Annual Percentage of U.S. Retail Sales from 2013 (6.92%) to 2023 (15.1%) according to the United States Census Bureau

U.S. eCommerce Percentage of Retail Sales

In the U.S., online shopping is less common than compared to the rest of the globe. 

  • The e-commerce share of retail sales in 2020 was 14.32%, up 34.0% YoY.
  • From 2010 to 2020, the e-commerce share of retail sales increased 133%. 
  • The e-commerce share of retail sales increased 77.7% from 2000 to 2010.
  • In 2000, e-commerce sales represented 3.46% of total retail sales in the U.S.
  • Since 1995, e-commerce’s share of total retail sales dollars has increased at an average annual rate of 7.37%.

Line Graph: eCommerce Quarterly Percentage of U.S. Retail Sales, Not Seasonally Adjusted and Seasonally Adjusted, from 2022 Q1 to 2023 Q4

Quarterly eCommerce Percentage of Retail Sales

Seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted figures illustrate different sets of market-relevant data (see previous footnote).

  • In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023, e-commerce sales represented 17.07% of total retail sales, up 4.60% YoY.
  • In Q1 2023, e-commerce sales represented 15.04% of retail sales, up 4.14% YoY.
  • In Q4 2023, seasonally adjusted e-commerce sales represented 15.57% of retail sales, up 4.61% YoY.
  • In Q1 2023, seasonally adjusted e-commerce sales represented 15.09% of retail sales, up 3.84% YoY.

Bar Graph: eCommerce Percentage of U.S. Retail Sales 2023 by month according to U.S. Census Bureau

eCommerce Percentage of Product Retail Sales

Different types of products are more commonly purchased online (such as home goods) than others (such as motor vehicle parts).

  • 3.60% of motor vehicle and parts retail sales are online sales.
  • 13.3% of furniture, building materials, and electronics retail sales are e-commerce.
  • 14.1% of clothing and general merchandise retail sales are e-commerce.
  • 3.04% of all other store and non-store sales are e-commerce.
  • From nonstore retailer sales revenue, 68.2% is from e-commerce.

Grouped Bar Graph: eCommerce Percentage of Global Retail Sales, from 2020 (17.9%) to 2022 (18.8%) according to the U.S. Census Bureau with projections to 2026 (22.8%)

Global eCommerce Percentage of Retail Sales

According to projections, nearly 1-in-4 retail sales dollars will be spent online by 2026.

  • The e-commerce share of global sales was an estimated 19.7% in 2023. 
  • From 2022 to 2023, the e-commerce share of global retail sales increased 4.85%.
  • In 2022, the global share of e-commerce sales to retail sales was 18.8%, down 0.43% YoY.
  • Mobile e-commerce represented 14.2% of global retail sales in 2023.

These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.

Sources

  1. United States Census Bureau
  2. Forbes, 3 Mobile Commerce Trends That Are Dominating 2022
  3. Statista, E-Commerce