Highlights. Global online spending increased at an average annual rate of 16.5% from 2014 to 2024; projections indicate an average 6.80% annual increase from 2025 to 2030.
- American online spending increased at an average annual rate of 13.4% from 2014 to 2024; projections indicate a 9.78% increase in 2025.
- Global consumer e-commerce spending increased 7.65% and U.S. spending increased 9.24% year-over-year (YoY) from 2023 to 2024.
- eCommerce represents 19.9% of global retail sales; projections indicate that will increase to 22.5% in 2028.
- Projections indicate an additional 51.3 million global online shoppers, including 13.4 million more U.S. online shoppers, by 2026.
- The number of online shoppers worldwide increases at an average annual rate of 2.24% while the number of Americans shopping online increases by 5.23%.
Financial data have not been seasonally adjusted; this report does not use seasonally adjusted values unless noted.
More Online Spending
Statistics indicate that, in 2024, worldwide online spending grew faster than the global currency inflation rate.
- Global consumers spent an estimated $6.01 trillion online in 2024, up 7.65% YoY.
- eCommerce revenue as a percentage of global retail sales increased 3.11% YoY.
- Also in 2024, worldwide online spending growth outpaced the worldwide currency inflation rate* by 35.0%.
- Revenue from social media e-commerce increased 12.3% YoY to $997.8 billion in 2024.
- From 2016 to 2024, e-commerce grew over 149% while global currency inflation totaled 42.8%.
*Based on estimates from the International Monetary Fund; the global currency inflation rate for 2024 was 5.67%.
More U.S. Online Spending
Projections indicate that online sales growth from 2024 to 2030 will exceed average currency inflation.
- American consumers spent $1.34 trillion online in 2024, up 9.24% YoY.
- U.S. e-commerce sales totaled $1.22 trillion in 2023, up 11.2% YoY.
- Projections indicate U.S. online sales revenue will increase by a total of 90.4% or an average annual rate of 11.3% between 2024 and 2030.
- eCommerce represented a quarterly average of 16.1% of retail sales in 2024.
- The monthly record for online purchases as a percentage of total retail sales dollars was 21.2% in December 2024, which was 15.4% higher than the average for that year.
- Mobile online purchases as a percentage of U.S. e-commerce sales increased 21.7% or an average annual rate of 4.03% from 2019 to 2024.
- 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.
More Shopping Online
eCommerce as a share of all retail increases annually, and a larger percentage of consumers are shopping online.
- Worldwide, the percentage of retail commerce conducted online increased 367% from 2014 to 2024, for an average annual growth rate of 18.2%.
- In the United States, the percentage of retail commerce conducted online increased 127% from 2014 to 2024, for an average annual growth rate of 8.79%.
- 49% of American consumers shopped online at least once per week in 2024, down 15% from 2023 (when 57% of consumers shopped online weekly).
- 12% of consumers shopped online daily in 2024; 68% shopped online more than once per month.
More Ways to Buy Online
Flexible payment options and omnichannel fulfillment increase e-commerce accessibility, making it possible for more people to shop online.
- 57% of global e-commerce sales come from mobile devices; projections indicate the mobile share of e-commerce will reach 63% by 2028.
- Digital wallet use increased 141% from 2014 to 2024.
- Digital wallets paid for 53% of global online purchases in 2024; projections indicate that will increase to 65% by 2030.
- Global use of BNPL increased 400% from 2014 to 2024, now accounting for 5% of online purchases.
- The “click-and-collect” retail market, including curbside pick-up and buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), increased sales by an estimated 17.3% from 2023 to 2024.
- Click-and-collect sales increased 105% in 2020 (during the COVID pandemic).
- 43% of consumers shop and expect to buy directly from Facebook at least once in a fiscal quarter.
- 33% of consumers shop with the intent to buy on YouTube, 32% shop on TikTok, and 27% shop on Instagram.
More Online Holiday Spending
American consumers are most likely to buy online during the holiday shopping season, when e-commerce as a percentage of retail sales peaks; by some estimates, online revenue represented 24.5% of 2024 holiday retail sales.
- U.S. online retail sales increase 23-26% during the holiday shopping season as indicated by average monthly sales*.
- The e-commerce share of holiday retail sales increased 5.26% YoY (from 23.2% in 2023).
- From 2019 to 2024, the e-commerce share of holiday retail sales increased 23.0% (from 19.9% in 2019).
- After seasonal adjustments**, online revenue during the holiday season 2024 exceeded the rest of the year by 3.95%; 2023 online holiday revenue exceeded the rest of the year by 2.78%.
*Average monthly sales from the first three fiscal quarters compared to average monthly sales from the fourth quarter.
**Seasonally adjusted data accounts for fluctuations in the market based on the time of year; these data more accurately illustrate market health.
More International Spending
The United States has a significant share of the global e-commerce market, but other countries have experienced and will continue to experience faster growth in their own domestic markets.
- Projections indicate that annual e-commerce revenue in the U.S. will increase 5.94% slower than the global average from 2025 to 2029.
- eCommerce revenue in Turkey is expected to have one of the highest growth rates at 11.7% YoY from 2025 to 2029.
- Turkey’s projected growth rate exceeds expectations for global growth by 21.6%.
- Projected growth rates also exceed 11% for Brazil, India, Mexico, Russia, and Thailand.
- South Korea’s e-commerce market is expected to grow slowly at an annual rate of 4.52% from 2025 to 2029.
- Germany, France, and the United Kingdom all have projected growth rates of less than 9%.
More Online Shoppers
As online accessibility continues to increase, so will e-commerce revenue and participation.
- An estimated 2.71 billion global consumers shopped online in 2024.
- Projections indicate 2.90 billion global online shoppers in 2028.
- 33.3% of people worldwide shopped online in 2024, up 1.76% YoY.
- Projections indicate that in 2028, over 34.5% of people worldwide will shop online.
- From 2016 to 2024, the share of digital shoppers among the global population increased 64.9%.
More U.S. Online Shoppers
Compared to the global population, Americans are more than twice as likely to shop online.
- 273.5 million U.S. consumers shopped online in 2024.
- Projections indicate 323.8 million U.S. e-commerce consumers by 2028.
- The number of U.S. digital shoppers in 2024 represented 80.4% of the total population, up 4.54% YoY.
- Projections indicate that in 2028, over 92% of people in the U.S. will shop online.
- From 2020 to 2024, the share of digital shoppers among the U.S. population increased 26.0%.
- In 2024, 53% of online consumers report shopping on Amazon at least once in a fiscal quarter, down 24.3% YoY.
- Also during one fiscal quarter, 32% of consumers shop at least once on Walmart.com (down 20.0% YoY), 13% shop on eBay (down 31.6% YoY), and 13% shop on Target.com (no change YoY).
More Youth Shopping Online
Younger shoppers are more likely to buy online while older generations shop primarily in-store. As tech-native generations age and come to dominate the consumer population, the share of online shoppers will increase.
- Compared to all shoppers, those born between 1995 and 2003 (Generation Z) are 16.4% more likely to shop online.
- Those born between 1980 and 1994 (sometimes called “Millennials”) are 12.7% more likely to shop online than the average consumer.
- Compared to all shoppers, those born between 1965 and 1979 (Generation X) are 9.09% less likely to shop online.
- Consumers born between 1946 and 1964 (Baby Boomers) are 27.3% less likely to shop online compared to the average consumer.
- 56.3% of Gen Z online shoppers usually order for curbside or in-store pick-up, making them the most likely to use a hybrid method of shopping.
More Online Shopping Technology
In addition to giving retailers more ways to engage their customers, online artificial intelligence (AI) and data tools personalize the shopper experience (even when shoppers block third-party cookies).
- The market for AI in retail was valued at $10.8 billion in 2024; projections indicate that value will grow to $31.2 billion in 2028.
- According to projections, the retail AI market value will grow at an annual rate of 30.5%.
- 82% of consumers would rather deal with a chatbot than wait 15 minutes to talk to a real person.
- 20% of page visitors interact with up-selling chatbots; 14% engage with discount chatbots.
- In 2024, 88% of online consumers interacted with chatbots.
Historical Online Trends
eCommerce sales are on a consistent 25-year climb.
- Between 1997 and 2014, global e-commerce increased 5,038%.
- From 1997 to 2000, combined U.S. e-commerce and mail-order sales revenue increased at an average annual rate of 17.4%.
- Between 1999 and 2000, the combined e-commerce and mail order revenue increased 20.8%.
- From 2000 to 2020, e-commerce spending increased at an average annual rate of 11.0%.
- 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%.
- 2021 global online retail sales dollars increased 17.2% YoY.
The following data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.
Sources
- United States Census Bureau, Monthly Retail Trade Reports
- Statista, Industry Overview
- Worldpay, Global Payments Report
- Mississippi Department of Archives & History
- National Retail Federation
- Tidio, Chatbot Statistics
- eMarketer, Insider Intelligence
- Adobe, US Holiday Shopping Forecast
- JungleScout, Consumer Shopping Trends