Online shopping has become the mainstream method, with companies like Amazon delivering anything you need directly to your doorstep. Just hop onto your computer, type in the item you need, and then find it on a website and order it. Gone are the days when you had to go to three different stores to find what you needed.
With such ease, it is no surprise that online shopping has started to dominate and even run some brick-and-mortar businesses out of business. Many large companies use online shopping to help bolster their profits because otherwise, they would see a loss in their sales from people who prefer to stay home or cannot leave.
Online Shopping: The Fast Facts
- 2.14 billion people globally shopped online in 2020 with most of them shopping online more than once.
- In 2022, 75% of consumers purchase something online once a month, a large increase from previous years as online shopping has become the norm since Covid-19.
- Global e-commerce sales totaled $4.9 trillion in 2021 and could easily surpass that number in 2022.
- 63% of all shopping begins online, though that does not mean the customer winds up making the purchase online.
- 21% of global retail sales have been made online in 2022, with that number trending upward as the end of the year approaches.
In-store Shopping is Still Popular
While online shopping is a booming business, in-store shopping still serves a purpose, as many people prefer to still go to a store to shop. There are many reasons for this; you can find the statistics below.
- Groceries are still bought in-store as 81.8% of consumers prefer purchasing groceries in-store rather than ordering them offline.
- 60% of consumers prefer to shop in a store as it allows them to receive their items immediately instead of waiting several days for them to arrive.
- Regarding in-store shopping, 61% of people prefer it because they can try out the items before purchasing them. This allows them to ensure the product is good quality and/or fits before making that final purchase.
- Delivery fees are a big reason people prefer in-store shopping for some things, with 65% of consumers stating this as their primary reason for shopping in-store instead of purchasing items online.
- Around 40% of people make at least one purchase a week in a store, compared to only 27% of people who purchase online at least once a week.
Online Shopping Trends
Online shopping continues to grow, and between 2012 and 2021, online sales have grown from 8% of all sales to 19.1%. This is an 11.1% growth in only nine years. While not a drastic change, it has jumped 6% in the last four years.
By 2023, it is projected that US e-commerce sales will reach $1.1 trillion, making for one of the largest e-commerce total sales jumps ever. In 2022, e-commerce sales totaled $875 billion, so it is projected sales will increase by 14%.
Mobile Users are Getting In On Online Shopping
When it comes to online shopping, smartphone users make up a large portion of all online sales and are also the most impulsive buyers. 54% of mobile users enjoy window shopping on their phones, while 77% of smartphone users make online purchases impulsive for the fun of it. On the other hand, Desktop users are more likely not to impulse buy or spend as much time window-shopping.
Online Shopping Sale Statistics
- Most online shoppers prefer to use Amazon when making purchases because they have an extremely easy return policy. In fact, 80% of consumers are deterred from online purchases because return policies can be difficult to use.
- Around 57% of US consumers prefer to shop online when it comes to the holidays, allowing them to avoid the mad scramble of holiday shoppers.
- Regarding online shopping, 75% of shoppers rely solely on product images. If the product has high-quality images, it is more likely consumers will purchase the item even if it does not have the greatest reviews.
- 23% of all online sales in the US come from the fashion industry, which has grown exponentially over the last 20 years.