Highlights. Global online shopping revenue totaled $5.82 trillion in 2023; projections indicate that sales will reach $9.59 trillion by 2030.
- American online spending totaled $1.24 trillion in 2023; projections indicate that online spending will exceed $2.5 trillion in 2030.
- 2.71 billion people worldwide shop online in 2024; an estimated 9.81% are Americans.
- 266 million Americans (79%) shop online.
- Online shopping represents 20.1% of all retail sales worldwide as of 2024; in the U.S., online shopping represents 15.6% of retail revenue.
Online Shopping 2024 Statistics
In the first nine (9) months of 2024, online shoppers in the U.S. spent a record average of $3.530 billion per day.
- American online shoppers spent a total of $967.255 billion in the first nine months of 2024.
- Online shopping sales in the U.S. totaled $288.783 billion in the third fiscal quarter (Q3) of 2024, up 7.46% year-over-year (YoY).
- As of 2024 Q3, e-commerce accounts for 15.6% of all retail sales in the U.S., up 5.31% YoY.
- 2024 Q3 e-commerce revenue growth outpaced U.S. currency inflation by 205%.
- As a share of total retail revenue, 2024 Q3 e-commerce was down 8.61% from its quarterly record in 2023 Q4 (17.1%).
- Online shopping sales totaled $282.628 billion in 2024 Q2, up 6.71% YoY from 2023 Q2.
- Online shopping sales totaled $267.976 billion in 2024 Q1, up 8.42% YoY.
| Quarter | Online Spending (in billions) |
Share of All Retail |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Q3 | $288.78 | 15.6% |
| 2024 Q2 | $282.63 | 15.2% |
| 2024 Q1 | $267.98 | 15.6% |
| 2023 Q4 | $322.86 | 17.1% |
| 2023 Q3 | $268.75 | 14.8% |
| 2023 Q2 | $264.86 | 14.6% |
| 2023 Q1 | $247.18 | 14.8% |
| 2022 Q4 | $293.99 | 16.0% |
| 2022 Q3 | $245.11 | 13.8% |
| 2022 Q2 | $244.07 | 13.5% |
| 2022 Q1 | $229.47 | 14.2% |
| 2021 Q4 | $279.85 | 16.0% |
| 2021 Q3 | $224.76 | 13.8% |
| 2021 Q2 | $232.43 | 13.9% |
| 2021 Q1 | $213.99 | 14.7% |
| 2020 Q4 | $255.40 | 16.6% |
| 2020 Q3 | $204.81 | 14.1% |
| 2020 Q2 | $204.06 | 15.5% |
| 2020 Q1 | $146.49 | 11.7% |
| 2019 Q4 | $178.46 | 12.4% |
| 2019 Q3 | $138.66 | 10.2% |
| 2019 Q2 | $132.40 | 9.69% |
| 2019 Q1 | $121.58 | 9.88% |
Global Online Shopping Statistics
Online shopping will generate nearly $10 trillion in annual revenue by 2030.
- In 2024, online retail sales are expected to reach $6.33 trillion globally.
- Global online shopping sales revenue totaled $5.82 trillion in 2023.
- In 2023, global online shopping revenue increased by 10.0% from 2022.
- Worldwide, online sales represented an estimated 19.4% of global retail sales in 2023, up 3.74% from 2022 (18.7%).
- Projections indicate that, from 2023 to 2030, online shopping sales will increase at an average annual rate of 7.40%.
- By 2030, online shopping is projected to make up 25.3% of global retail sales.
U.S. Online Shopping Statistics
Online shopping in the United States makes up a smaller portion of the global market every year, in part due to increased internet accessibility worldwide.
- In 2024, online retail spending in the U.S. is projected to total $1.374 trillion.
- Online spending totaled $268.118 billion in 2024 Q1, up 8.47% YoY.
- From 2022 to 2023. American online spending increased by 11.3% to $1.243 trillion.
- American online consumer spending surpassed $1.117 trillion in 2022.
- U.S. online sales represented an estimated 21.4% of global online sales in 2023, up 1.15% from 2022 (21.1%).
- 15.0% of 2023 retail sales were online, up from 13.9% in 2022.
- Online shopping revenue in the average U.S. state was equivalent to $3,469 per capita in 2023.
- The average American consumer spent $1,003 online in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023.
- U.S. households spent an average of $2,408 online in 2023 Q4.
Online Shopping Growth Statistics
While growth has slowed in the United States, increased accessibility continues to boost global online shopping sales and activity.
- Projections indicate the number of global online shoppers will exceed 2.91 billion in 2027.
- Online shopping global market penetration increased by 2.22% from 2022 to 2023.
- In 2022, online shopping’s global penetration increased by 2.45% from 2021.
- Automotive and Food & Beverage products have the fastest year-over-year (YoY) online sales growth among all product categories in 2023, up 22.7% and 19.6%, respectively.
- From 2023 to 2027, the Food & Beverage U.S. online market share will increase 22.1%, from 8.6% to 10.5% of all online sales.
Online Holiday Shopping
Americans are most likely to shop online during the winter holiday season.
- Americans spent a 16.0% larger share of their retail dollars online in the month of December 2023 (compared to the average over the rest of the year).
- December 2008 holds the record for the largest monthly increase in online spending at 39.2%.
- Americans will spend up to $989 billion for the holidays in 2024.
- The average American spends around $902 over the winter holiday season.
Online Grocery Shopping Statistics
While Americans still prefer to shop in-store for groceries, online and hybrid grocery shopping increased significantly in 2020 and 2021.
- Online grocery sales in the U.S. are expected to total $219.3 billion in 2024, accounting for 13.7% of all grocery purchases.
- By 2026, digital grocery sales are expected to account for 19.0% of e-commerce sales, surpassing all other categories.
- 19% of American consumers purchase most of their groceries online.
- 20% of consumers purchase equal amounts of groceries online and in-store.
- In 2024, 19.1% of consumers prefer to purchase groceries and household goods online, up 5.68% YoY.
- Online consumers spend 17.3% more on ground beef than on any other fresh grocery item.
- 2.4% of produce sold in the United States is purchased online.
- Compared to 2020, the share of fresh produce purchased online increased 41.2% in 2021.
Online Consumer Statistics
Online shopping trends show that, while consumer habits change over time, growth is consistent.
- In 2023, an estimated 2.64 billion people worldwide shopped online, up 3.13% YoY.
- American consumers who prefer online shopping say convenience is the main reason they shop online.
- Americans are most likely to buy apparel and accessories online as opposed to in-store.
- U.S. shoppers are also more likely to purchase home furnishings and consumer electronics online as opposed to in-store.
- 43% of U.S. consumers bought clothing and 33% bought shoes online over 12 months.
- Furniture and home furnishing sales dollars account for 9.27% of all e-commerce sales.
Online Shopping Demographics
Please note that this report generally conforms to terminology used in source data to identify shopper demographics.
- Shoppers in high-income ($100K or more) households are 18.2% more likely to shop online than high-middle income ($50k to $99k) households.
- 53% of male shoppers and 44% of female shoppers prefer to browse retail items online as opposed to in-store.
- Among age groups, those born between 1981 and 1996 (often called ”Millennials”) are the most likely to shop online.
- Shoppers born from 1992 to 2012 (”Generation Z”) are the most likely to use a hybrid method of shopping.
Online Order Fulfillment Statistics
Fulfillment is a multi-billion dollar industry that, with package shipping and delivery, is a cornerstone of online shopping.
- Consumers are 130% more likely to select ship-to-home over in-store pickup, the second-most popular fulfillment method.
- 37% of consumers who order groceries online expect same-day fulfillment.
- 26% of online shoppers reported shipping delays on products ordered over a 30-day period during the 2022 holiday shopping season.
- Online consumers are 11.6% more likely to blame shipping delays on the fulfillment provider (instead of the brand or retailer).
- Online shoppers are most likely to return items via third-party drop-off; 48% of consumers making returns used this method over a 30-day period.
- 35% of online returns over a 30-day period were returned via mail while 33% were returned to a brick-and-mortar location.
Online Retailer Statistics
With thousands of e-commerce websites, global and international markets are each dominated by a handful of major retailers.
- Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer, with $138.9 billion in 2023 e-commerce sales.
- JD.com or Jingdong Mall is the second largest global online retailer; 2023 e-commerce sales totaled $115.8 billion.
- Americans spend 486% more on Amazon than they spend at the second-highest grossing U.S. online retailer.
- Among U.S. online retailers, Amazon has a 37.6% market share.
| Year | Revenue (in trillions) |
YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $5.82 | 10.0% |
| 2022 | $5.29 | 6.29% |
| 2021 | $4.98 | 17.2% |
| 2020 | $4.25 | 26.8% |
| 2019 | $3.35 | 12.4% |
| 2018 | $2.98 | 25.2% |
| 2017 | $2.38 | 29.1% |
| 2016 | $1.85 | 19.2% |
| 2015 | $1.55 | 15.9% |
Online vs. In-Store Shopping Statistics
The preference for in-store shopping typically increases during the summer months.
- As of the first nine (9) months of 2024, a monthly average of 45.4% of American consumers preferred to shop in-store.
- 29.8% preferred to shop online while 24.8% preferred a hybrid method or had no preference.
- Also during 2024, 37.6% of Americans opted to purchase their personal electronics online when possible.
- 33.0% and 29.6% of American consumers preferred to purchase their apparel and beauty products online, respectively.
- 23.3% of consumers preferred to purchase home furnishings and appliances online.
- American shoppers are 6.25% more likely to purchase home goods online instead of in-store.
Online Shopping COVID-19 Statistics
COVID-related lockdowns and quarantines increased consumers’ need to shop online.
- A monthly record for online purchases as a percentage of total retail sales dollars was set at 17.1% in April 2020.
- Online spending in the U.S. increased by 34.2% in 2020.
- Between 2019 and 2020, produce sales online increased 142.9%.
- 60% of global internet users shopped primarily online in 2020/21, up 13.2% from 2019.
- In 2020, 90% of North American consumers shopped online, up 11.1% from 2018.
| Year | Revenue (in billions) |
YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1,242.9 | 11.27% |
| 2022 | $1,117.0 | 9.52% |
| 2021 | $1,019.9 | 15.32% |
| 2020 | $884.38 | 34.15% |
| 2019 | $659.25 | 12.72% |
| 2018 | $584.85 | 11.48% |
| 2017 | $524.64 | 12.21% |
| 2016 | $467.55 | 11.58% |
| 2015 | $419.01 | 11.17% |
| 2014 | $376.92 | 8.88% |
| 2013 | $346.18 | 5.33% |
| 2012 | $328.66 | 11.52% |
| 2011 | $294.70 | 11.84% |
| 2010 | $263.49 | 11.82% |
| 2009 | $235.63 | 2.79% |
| 2008 | $229.24 | 2.49% |
| 2007 | $223.68 | 10.60% |
| 2006 | $202.25 | 14.98% |
| 2005 | $175.90 | 14.10% |
| 2004 | $154.16 | 14.79% |
| 2003 | $134.30 | 9.89% |
| 2002 | $122.21 | 6.50% |
| 2001 | $114.75 | 0.84% |
| 2000 | $113.79 | 20.69% |
| 1999 | $94.28 | 17.41% |
| 1998 | $80.30 | 14.60% |
| 1997 | $70.07 | 14.66% |
| 1996 | $61.11 | 16.00% |
| 1995 | $52.68 | 12.00% |
These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.
Sources
- United States Census Bureau
- Congressional Research Service, Report: International Trade and E-Commerce
- eMarketer, Insider Intelligence
- Morning Consult, Retail & E-commerce
- National Retail Federation
- Information Resources, Inc., Fresh Produce in the Era of Inflation and Beyond
- Statista, Industry Overview
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- ecommerceDB
- United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, COVID-19 Boost to E-commerce Sustained into 2021