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Jack Shepherd Co-Founder & Marketing Director
Updated on 24 Jul 2023

21 Essential eCommerce Statistics You Need to Know in 2023

In this day and age, online shopping has become the way to go. eCommerce has made it so much simpler to purchase everything from clothing to beauty products, home goods, and even groceries.

With a few clicks, you can easily place and order, and wait for it to arrive on your doorstep. You never have to leave the comfort of your home!

To help you learn more about online shopping, we’ve compiled some interesting eCommerce statistics you should know for 2023.

With the help of this data, you can strengthen your own eCommerce business and generate more sales than before.

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Top eCommerce Statistics

To get started, here are a few eCommerce statistics to keep in mind:

eCommerce Sales Are Projected to Reach $8.1 Trillion by 2026

In 2021, retail eCommerce sales were an estimated $4.9 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide.

Over the next four years, it’s predicted this number will grow by 56%, reaching approximately $8.1 trillion by 2026. There are no signs of online shopping slowing down anytime soon.

eCommerce sales growth from 2014 to 2025 projections.

The Average Shopper Makes 19 Online Transactions Per Year

How do your online shopping habits stack up? Data shows that, on average, a consumer makes 19 online transactions per year. However, this obviously varies based on location. For example, consumers in China make an average of 22 online transactions in a single year.

There Are Between 12 and 24 Million Online Stores

While it’s hard to determine an exact number, it’s estimated that there are anywhere between 12 and 24 million online stores. And with more people starting online businesses, that number is only going to steadily increase over the next few years.

Amazon Saw Almost 3.68 Billion Monthly Visitors in 2022, Making it a Top Online Retailer Worldwide

When compared to online retailers, it appears Amazon is coming out on top. In 2022, the retailer saw almost 3.16 billion monthly visitors on its website.

This number decreased since 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it reached 3.67 billion monthly visitors due to more people choosing to shop online instead of hitting the stores. The second most popular online retailer was eBay, which saw a monthly average of 589 million visitors.

Statista graph showing top online retailers with Amazon ranking in the lead.

50.8% of People Say Free Shipping is the Top Reason They Shop Online

Have you ever passed on ordering something online because shipping wasn’t free or too expensive? You aren’t alone.

50.8% of people say free shipping is one of the main reasons they choose to shop online. This, in combination with Amazon’s vast product selection, is likely why they see great success.

Here’s a full breakdown of why consumers say they shop online:

  • Free delivery: 50.8%
  • Coupons/discounts: 38.7%
  • Reviews from other customers: 31.4%
  • Easy returns policy: 30.8%
  • Next-day delivery: 27.7%
  • Quick/easy online checkout process: 27.6%
  • Loyalty points: 24.5
  • Lots of good comments on social media: 21.3%
  • Knowing the product is environmentally friendly: 17.8%
  • Ability to spread payments without interest: 17%
Graph from Oberlo showing the top reasons people shopped online in 2020.

Global eCommerce Statistics

There are online shoppers based all over the globe, however, some countries and certain age groups are bigger shoppers than others. Check out this data:

The Top Three eCommerce Markets Are China, the U.S., and the UK

Since those in China make more online transactions in a single year than the average consumer, it should come as no surprise that China tops the list of eCommerce markets.

It was forecasted that China would generate $2,779.31 billion in eCommerce sales during 2021. In second place is the U.S. with an estimated $843.15 billion in sales. Then, the UK rounds out the top three with $169.02 billion in sales.

With 46.5% Growth, Argentina Saw the Fastest eCommerce Growth in 2020

Those living in Argentina have been stepping up their online shopping in recent years.

The country had the fastest eCommerce growth in 2020 with a 100.6% increase in online sales.

Canada took the second spot with a 75% increase. The UK did make the top 10, seeing a 46.5% increase in online sales during 2020.

Younger Consumers Shop Online More Than Older Generations

38.4% of online shoppers based in the U.S. are under the age of 35.

In fact, Millennials (those born from 1981 to 1996) make up the largest group of online shoppers.

Only 14.4% of those shopping online in the U.S. are 65 and above. Perhaps younger generations appreciate its ease and convenience?

UK eCommerce Statistics

Even those in the UK are passionate about their online shopping. Here are some eCommerce statistics that are specifically related to the United Kingdom:

It’s Expected the UK’s eCommerce Revenue Will Grow 5.16% Annually

According to eCommerce statistics from Statista, online shopping revenue won’t be slowing down in the UK. From 2021 to 2025, it’s predicted the overall eCommerce revenue in the UK will grow at an annual rate of 5.16%.

Mobile Devices Were Used to Make 75% of Online Shopping Purchases in the UK During the First Quarter of 2023

In the UK, it’s all about mobile shopping.

Looking at data from the first quarter of 2023, 75% of retail site visits in the UK came from a smartphone.

69% of online shopping orders were made via mobile devices.

On the other hand, only 22% of retail website traffic was from desktop computers and accounted for 28% of all purchases.

eCommerce Growth Statistics

Just how much has eCommerce grown in recent years? Well, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a rise in online shopping since 2020 and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Global Retail eCommerce Sales Grew by 27.6% in 2021

Global data shows retail eCommerce sales declined to 17.1% in 2021, after reaching 27.6% during the pandemic in 2020. Those sales accounted for about 19% of all global retail sales. It’s likely those numbers will continue to grow year after year.

2.14 Billion People Were Expected to Shop Online in 2021, Up From 1.66 Billion People in 2016

It was estimated there would be 2.14 billion people worldwide shopping online to purchase goods and services in 2021. That’s a big jump from just 1.66 billion people online shopping in 2016.

Graph from Oberlo showing the amount of people shopping online from 2014-2021.

eCommerce Platform Statistics

If you’re interested in creating your own eCommerce business, you may be wondering which platform is the most popular. While they each have their own benefits, here’s some data on how many users are on WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento, and Wix:

WooCommerce and Shopify Are The Most Popular eCommerce Platforms

There are over three million live websites that are currently using WooCommerce, a WordPress plugin to power their online storefronts.

There are 1.75 million merchants on Shopify.

Both platforms have their benefits, which is why it’s important for sellers to do their research to find out which is best for them.

There are over 250,000 merchants using Magento and over 600,000 active stores on Wix.

Social Commerce Statistics

Did you know social media can help boost your eCommerce business? It’s true! Take a look at this data:

Online Stores With a Social Media Presence See an Average of 32% More Sales

More sales are always a win, right? eCommerce statistics show that online stores that also have a social media presence have, on average, 32% more sales than those not using social media. This could be because social media increases a shop’s discoverability online.

Customers Referred to an Online Store Via Instagram Have an Average Order of $65

For some, Instagram could be key to generating sales. $65 is the average order value for customers who have been referred to an online shop via Instagram. This is a higher total than platforms seem to generate.

The average for Facebook is $55, $46 for Twitter, and $38 for YouTube.

Mobile Commerce Statistics

eCommerce statistics show that mobile shopping is a popular choice when buying products and services online. Here’s some data regarding how often we use our phones and tablets to shop:

Mobile eCommerce Accounts for 44.2% of All eCommerce Sales in the U.S.

eCommerce statistics show that mobile purchases account for 44.2% of all eCommerce sales in the United States. Only time will tell if mobile purchases are able to one day be the majority of eCommerce sales.

Three Out of Four Consumers Shop From Their Smartphones

With mobile-friendly websites and dedicated applications, shopping from your smartphone is pretty easy these days. That’s why it’s not surprising three out of four consumers say they shop from their phone.

33.6% of Shoppers Look Up Price Comparisons on Mobile While in a Physical Store

It’s important to be an educated shopper, which is why we love to price shop to ensure we’re getting the best deal. As a result, 33.6% of shoppers say they look up price comparisons on their mobile devices while shopping in a physical store. It’s a convenient way to see what other retailers are selling something for.

Users Are 62% Less Likely to Purchase From a Business if They’ve Previously Had a Negative Experience on Their Mobile Website

Let this be a reminder that not only are people frequently shopping on mobile, but they demand a quality experience too. Mobile websites that are slow to load or difficult to navigate will send potential buyers running, possibly never returning.

According to Google, users who have had a negative experience on a mobile website are 62% less likely to purchase from that same business in the future.

eCommerce for Business Statistics

For those running an eCommerce business (or wanting to start one), there are a couple of statistics you’ll want to keep in mind to ensure your success.

Here’s what you should know:

The Top Reason for Abandoned Carts is Expensive Fees

When your business has a goal to generate more sales, you’ll want to cut down on the number of abandoned carts you have.

Data shows the top reason people abandon carts is because of additional fees costing too much. Those fees can be things like shipping, tax, and any other costs that may be factored into the final total during checkout.

Other reasons for abandoned carts include: being required to make an account, long or complicated checkout processes, and not knowing the cost upfront.

Top reasons for cart abandonment on eCommerce websites

eCommerce Can be More Effective With the Help of Bots and Automation

Done right, having a chatbot or some other artificial intelligence on your website could help with the overall eCommerce process.

It can assist in answering basic questions, ultimately helping to eliminate barriers for potential customers wanting to purchase. In fact, 50% of people say they’d purchase from a website’s chatbot with the help of conversational marketing.

It could be worth looking into for your business to increase your conversion rate.

Using These eCommerce Statistics

There’s no time like the present to start your own eCommerce business.

Although there are tons of online shops, it’s never too saturated of an industry to get started and put your own spin on things. Use these eCommerce statistics to show you how powerful online sales can be and to create an online strategy of your own.

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