Highlights. American consumers spent nearly $1.337 trillion* online in 2024, up 9.24% year-over-year (YoY).
- In the first four (4) months of 2025, online consumers spent a monthly average of $108.7 billion or 18.4% of all retail spending nationwide.
- eCommerce spending in the U.S. increased 34.2% in 2020.
- The monthly record for online purchases as a percentage of total retail sales dollars was 21.2% in December 2024.
*Financial values have not been seasonally adjusted; this report does not use seasonally adjusted values unless noted otherwise.
2025 Online Sales Growth
U.S. e-commerce sales are projected to total $1.429 trillion in 2025.
- eCommerce sales in 2025 account for an estimated 3.09% higher share of total retail sales than in 2024.
- In the first fiscal quarter (Q1) of 2025, U.S. e-commerce sales totaled $275.8 billion, up 5.61% YoY from 2024 Q1.
- eCommerce accounted for 15.9% of retail sales in 2025 Q1, up 2.32% YoY.
- Global e-commerce sales will total an estimated $6.42 trillion in 2025.
Online Sales Growth in the 2020s
eCommerce revenue not only increased overall in the first 5 years and 4 months of the 2020s, but the growth rate is also far above the currency inflation rate during the same period.
- From January 2020 to April 2025, month-to-month e-commerce revenue growth averaged 1.25%.
- During the same period, the month-to-month value of the U.S. dollar averaged a 0.33% rate of increase.
- In the first 5 years and 4 months of the 2020s, month-to-month e-commerce revenue growth outpaced currency inflation by 279%.
- When expressed as a percentage of nationwide retail sales revenue (i.e. market share), month-to-month e-commerce sales growth averaged a 0.53% rate of increase.
- In the fourth quarter of 2024, the traditional winter holiday shopping season, e-commerce sales increased 21.4% from 2024 Q3.
- By April 2025, the e-commerce share of monthly retail sales dollars declined 14.1% from its peak in December 2024.
- In 2024, total seasonally-adjusted e-commerce sales dollars increased 8.64%.
Month | Total E-commerce Sales (billions) | YoY Growth |
---|---|---|
Apr 2025 | $113.5 | 7.32% |
Mar 2025 | $111.8 | 7.80% |
Feb 2025 | $101.5 | 5.52% |
Jan 2025 | $107.8 | 6.71% |
Dec 2024 | $146.6 | 13.5% |
Nov 2024 | $127.8 | 6.19% |
Oct 2024 | $116.7 | 11.1% |
Sep 2024 | $104.9 | 9.50% |
Aug 2024 | $107.6 | 5.43% |
Jul 2024 | $112.1 | 11.2% |
Jun 2024 | $104.5 | 7.12% |
May 2024 | $110.4 | 7.46% |
Apr 2024 | $105.8 | 12.0% |
Mar 2024 | $103.7 | 6.56% |
Feb 2024 | $96.2 | 11.5% |
Jan 2024 | $101.0 | 9.08% |
Dec 2023 | $129.1 | 12.2% |
Nov 2023 | $120.4 | 13.4% |
Oct 2023 | $105.1 | 14.8% |
Sep 2023 | $95.8 | 9.55% |
Aug 2023 | $102.1 | 10.8% |
Jul 2023 | $100.8 | 13.5% |
Jun 2023 | $97.5 | 11.5% |
May 2023 | $102.7 | 12.6% |
Online Sales Growth in the 21st Century
Most of the largest gains in e-commerce revenue and market share happened in the 21st century.
- From 2000 to 2020, e-commerce spending increased at an average annual rate of 33.7%.
- In 2000, U.S. consumers spent $112.5 billion on e-commerce.
- From 2000 to 2010, annual e-commerce spending increased 131% to $260.1 billion.
- Also in 2000, e-commerce sales dollars accounted for 3.86% of nationwide retail sales revenue.
- Between 2000 and 2010, the e-commerce market share increased 80.1%.
- From 2010 to 2020, annual e-commerce spending increased 235% to $871.3 billion.
- Between 2010 and 2020, the e-commerce market share increased 129%.
Year | E-commerce Sales (billions) |
Growth YoY |
---|---|---|
2024 | $1,337 | 9.24% |
2023 | $1,224 | 11.2% |
2022 | $1,101 | 9.55% |
2021 | $1,005 | 15.3% |
2020 | $871 | 34.2% |
2019 | $649 | 12.9% |
2018 | $575 | 11.6% |
2017 | $516 | 12.3% |
2016 | $459 | 11.6% |
2015 | $411 | 11.2% |
2014 | $370 | 8.86% |
2013 | $340 | 5.27% |
2012 | $323 | 11.4% |
2011 | $290 | 11.5% |
2010 | $260 | 11.9% |
2009 | $232 | 2.80% |
2008 | $226 | 2.49% |
2007 | $221 | 10.6% |
2006 | $200 | 15.1% |
2005 | $173 | 14.1% |
2004 | $152 | 14.7% |
2003 | $132 | 9.74% |
2002 | $121 | 6.54% |
2001 | $113 | 0.74% |
2000 | $112 | 20.8% |
Projected Online Sales Growth
eCommerce sales are expected to continue rising as a share of U.S. retail sales through 2030.
- If current trends continue, U.S. e-commerce revenue will total $2.55 trillion in 2030.
- Likewise, current trends indicate the e-commerce market share will run as high as 30% in 2030.
- Online sales are expected to increase by 73.4% from 2025 to 2030, or at an average annual rate of 11.3%.
- Other projections indicate total online sales revenue will increase 9.29% per year between 2025 and 2029.
- Projections indicate that mobile online purchases as a percentage of e-commerce sales will increase 10.9% or an average annual rate of 3.51% from 2024 to 2027.
Historical Online Sales Growth
While multiple media outlets consider 1994 the birth year of e-commerce, the U.S. Census Bureau did not begin tracking online sales until 2000, when it combined e-commerce with mail-order sales.
- 1997 U.S. e-commerce sales totaled an estimated $20.8 billion.
- From 1995 to 1997, estimated U.S. annual e-commerce sales revenue combined with mail-order revenue totaled $80 billion.
- Between the 1995-1997 period and 2000, combined total e-commerce sales and mail-order revenue increased at an average annual rate of 8.11%.
- Between 1999 and 2000, the combined e-commerce and mail order revenue increased 20.8%.
Year | Total Sales Revenue (billions) |
YoY Change |
---|---|---|
2024 | $6.007 | 7.65% |
2023 | $5.580 | 9.63% |
2022 | $5.090 | 2.23% |
2021 | $4.979 | 17.2% |
2020 | $4.248 | 26.8% |
2019 | $3.351 | 12.4% |
2018 | $2.982 | 25.2% |
2017 | $2.382 | 29.1% |
2016 | $1.845 | 19.2% |
2015 | $1.548 | 15.9% |
Global Online Sales Growth
In the early years of e-commerce, U.S. sales accounted for an estimated 80% of global e-commerce revenue.
- In 2024, global online retail sales totaled $6.01 trillion.
- 2024 global online retail sales dollars increased 7.65% YoY.
- 1997 worldwide e-commerce sales totaled an estimated $26 billion.
- Between 1997 and 2014, global e-commerce increased 5,039% to $1.34 trillion.
- Projections indicate that global online retail sales will total $8.91 trillion by 2030.
- If projections are correct, e-commerce sales revenue will increase at an annual average rate of 8.07%.
Sources
- United States Census Bureau, Monthly Retail Trade Reports
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI) Inflation Calculator
- Money, 8 Amazing Things People Said When Online Shopping Was Born 20 Years Ago
- Mississippi Department of Archives & History
- eMarketer, Insights
- Statista, E-commerce