Ecommerce Share of Retail Sales (2021–2027)
With the rising dominance of online shopping, it’s no surprise that the ecommerce share of retail sales has been on the increase in recent years. Here’s a breakdown of the ecommerce percentage of retail sales from 2021 to 2027.
|
Year |
Ecommerce share of retail sales worldwide |
|
2021 |
18.8% |
|
2022 |
18.7% |
|
2023 |
19.4% |
|
2024 |
20.1% |
|
2025 |
21.0% |
|
2026 |
21.8% |
|
2027 |
22.6% |
What percentage of retail sales are online in 2024?
Analysts predict the global ecommerce share of retail sales will record an increase this year and hit 20.1%. This marks the second successive year the ecommerce percentage of retail sales has risen and the first time it’s surpassed the 20% mark.
The numbers surrounding the growth of online shopping paint a clear picture of how quickly ecommerce is growing. Just three years ago, the online retail market share was 18.8%. That is to say that of every $100 spent by consumers, $18.80 was done so online.
In 2022, this figure dipped marginally to 18.7%, even as global ecommerce sales grew by 6.3%, to $5.3 trillion. Growth resumed in 2023, as the ecommerce share of retail sales worldwide rose by 0.7 percentage points, to 19.4%.
Ecommerce percentage of retail sales: 2025–2027 forecast
According to analysts, ecommerce’s share of retail sales will continue to rise for at least three more years. In 2025, it’s anticipated to increase by 0.9 percentage points, to 21%. A 0.8 percentage point growth in 2026 is projected, which will take ecommerce percentage of retail sales to 21.8%. By 2027, this figure is forecast to hit 22.6%—an overall 3.8 percentage point rise in just six years.
The growing ecommerce market share should come as no surprise, given the increased accessibility and affordability of mobile devices, as well as increased internet use and access worldwide. Despite the increase, this most recent outlook is a downward revision from an earlier one by experts.
Ecommerce market share in the US
|
Year |
US ecommerce market share |
|
2018 |
9.9% |
|
2019 |
11.1% |
|
2020 |
14.7% |
|
2021 |
14.7% |
|
2022 |
14.7% |
|
2023 |
15.6% |
|
2024 |
16.6% |
|
2025 |
17.8% |
|
2026 |
19.1% |
|
2027 |
20.6% |
Let’s zoom in on one of the world’s largest ecommerce markets and have a look at the ecommerce percentage of retail sales in the United States.
In 2024, the US ecommerce market share is expected at 16.6%, totaling close to $1.3 trillion in ecommerce sales. This figure is set to continue rising over the next few years. In 2025, the US ecommerce market share is forecast at 17.8%, before rising further to 19.1% in 2026.
By 2027, this will have surpassed 20% to hit 20.6%, bringing the total retail ecommerce sales to more than $1.7 trillion. In other words, of every $1 spent on US consumers, more than $0.20 will be through online channels. This marks an impressive 10.7 percentage point increase in less than a decade.
The growth of online shopping especially since 2019 can largely be attributed to the coronavirus pandemic, which forced consumers to stay home and purchase products online. Analysts say that the majority of this growth in the US ecommerce market share will come from the country’s largest retailers, particularly those that provide efficient delivery and click-and-collect services.