Did you know that over 2.77 billion people are shopping online in 2025 and global eCommerce sales will hit $6.86 trillion this year?
Whether you’re running an online store or planning to launch one, understanding the latest online shopping statistics is crucial to staying competitive. From skyrocketing mobile commerce to new payment behaviors like Buy Now, Pay Later, this year’s data reveals exactly how—and where—shoppers are spending online.
In this guide, we’ll break down the most important online shopping statistics for 2025, including cart abandonment trends, Gen Z buying power, mobile habits, and how you can optimize your store to turn browsers into buyers.
How We Collect Our Data
We source all statistics in this post from trusted industry leaders like Statista, eMarketer, Shopify, Baymard Institute, and Juniper Research. When possible, we also use anonymized insights from OptinMonster customer data.
Our editorial team reviews and updates this post every 6–12 months to ensure accuracy. We prioritize data published between 2023–2025 and only include research that helps marketers make smarter, conversion-focused decisions.
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Online Shopping Statistics: General
Summary: In 2025, over 2.77 billion people shop online globally, with eCommerce sales projected to exceed $6.86 trillion.
Let’s begin with general online shopping statistics to give you an idea of the industry’s size.
In 2022, there were 268 million online shoppers in the United States. This number is projected to increase to almost 285 million online shoppers in 2025.
But Americans aren’t the only ones who shop online. People all over the world understand the benefits. Almost 50% of social commerce consumers in China have made purchases through social networks, giving it the highest rate globally.
According to recent estimates, global e-commerce sales will reach $58.74 Trillion by 2028. This represents a significant increase from previous years and indicates the growing popularity of online shopping.
Additionally, online retail sales are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.6% from 2021 to 2028. This means that the online shopping industry is expected to continue growing at a rapid pace for the foreseeable future.
According to a recent study by Affilinet, men are more likely to shop online, with 84.3% making purchases compared to 77% of women. The average online buyer tends to be male, typically between the ages of 25 and 49.
The main difference between men and women is what they shop for. Men usually go for heavy-duty items like furniture and computers, while women typically shop for things like groceries and clothing.
Moreover, the most popular product categories purchased online include clothing and footwear, books, and electronics. This is not surprising given the convenience of shopping for these items from the comfort of your own home.
Global vs. U.S. eCommerce Sales (2021–2025)
| Year | Global eCommerce Sales | U.S. eCommerce Sales | % of U.S. Retail Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $4.98 Trillion | $960 Billion | 18.8% |
| 2022 | $5.29 Trillion | $1.03 Trillion | 18.7% |
| 2023 | $5.82 Trillion | $1.19 Trillion | 19.4% |
| 2024 | $6.33 Trillion | $1.192 Trillion | 20.1% |
| 2025 | $6.86 Trillion | $1.29 Trillion | 21.0% |
Source: Statista, eMarketer, SellersCommerce
Top Online Product Categories by 2025 Spend
| Category | Estimated 2025 Spend |
|---|---|
| Consumer Electronics | $922.5 Billion |
| Fashion & Apparel | $760 Billion |
| Food & Beverages | $708.8 Billion |
| DIY & Hardware | $220.2 Billion |
| Furniture | $220.1 Billion |
Source: Shopify via SellersCommerce
Online Shopping Statistics: eCommerce Stores
Summary: There are over 28 million eCommerce stores worldwide in 2025, with Amazon, Walmart, and eBay leading the market by traffic and sales.
Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and AliExpress rank as the top e-commerce sites in terms of visitor traffic.
These four companies have become household names and dominate the online sales market. They offer a wide variety of products at competitive prices, making them the go-to destination for many online shoppers.
If you think you have no chance against the big hitters, think again. And, if you still need to get into eCommerce market, it’s a great time to start because, in 2025, it is estimated that there will be 12 million – 24 million eCommerce stores globally.
It’s about time you start optimizing your eCommerce store or launch a successful eCommerce site.
Since online shopping, in general, is growing so fast, the next statistic shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. In 2023, eCommerce retail purchases are expected to rise from 14.1% to 22%.
But it’s important to make sure that your eCommerce site is optimized for user experience.
Something as easy to fix as an inconvenient return policy deters 80% of people.
Including thorough details on your product pages is so important. 88% of customers think detailed product pages are crucial for purchasing.
Website design is also everything. Have you ever visited an ugly website? One that looks like this?
You probably have at some point. And if you haven’t yet, we hope you never do. And we hope your customers don’t either. 38% of shoppers will leave a website if it looks unattractive.
Online Shopping Statistics: Mobile
Summary: Mobile commerce is expected to generate $2.51 trillion in 2025, with smartphones driving more than 60% of online purchases.
Mobile devices, Apple or Android, smartphones and tablets, are increasingly used for online shopping, with mobile e-commerce revenue projected to reach $728.28 billion in 2025. This is not surprising given the increasing popularity of mobile devices and the convenience they offer for online shopping.
The average conversion rate for mobile e-commerce is around 0.55%. The average cart abandonment rate for mobile e-commerce is around 85.65%.
That’s why improving your SEO can help you catch those spontaneous shoppers.
SEO Guide SEO Made Easy—Ultimate Guide to Explode Your Traffic
Mobile shopping is quickly catching up to desktop shopping. It’s easier to do as people are often on the go. Mobile shopping allows for shopping from anywhere as long as there’s service.
The number of mobile shoppers in the US is expected to reach 187 million by 2024. That means the majority of your traffic will also come from mobile users. Because of this, optimizing your site for mobile is crucial.
People don’t only use their mobile phones to shop online, but 65% check for price comparisons while they’re physically shopping in-store. Checking things like price comparisons has influenced 51% of shoppers to purchase from a company other than the one they originally intended to.
Your store could be the alternative shoppers turn to, so make sure your mobile website is up to date on prices and information and is easy to find.
Online Shopping Statistics: Abandoned Cart
Summary: The global cart abandonment rate remains high at 69.99%, with extra costs, account requirements, and slow shipping as top reasons.
The number one reason for shopping cart abandonment is unexpected extra costs. Extra costs are responsible for 48% of all cart abandonment. And for a good reason too.
Nobody likes being hit with unpleasant surprises just as they’re about to make an exciting purchase.
With this information in mind, be honest and upfront with all the costs. If honesty isn’t your thing, you could lose out big time. With an average abandonment rate of 69.99%, eCommerce businesses could lose 3 billion per year or more.
Other factors contributing to cart abandonment are slow delivery (22%) and when internet users need to create an account before checkout process (24%).
But there are always ways to reduce shopping cart abandonment for your company. First, sending cart abandonment follow-up emails have an average of 45% open rate. And out of that 45%, 21% received click-throughs. That’s almost half!
Secondly, to reduce cart abandonment, you can offer a discount on the items left in the cart.
54% of shoppers will purchase the items in their abandoned shopping cart after seeing a discount on those prices.
💬 Expert Insight
— eMarketer Global Forecast, 2025
Online Shopping Statistics: Technology
Summary: AI chatbots and voice assistants are becoming mainstream, with 47% of consumers open to using them for online purchases.
47% of consumers are open to using a chatbot to make an online purchase, and a study by Juniper estimates that chatbots will account for $112 billion in retail ecommerce sales by 2023.
For Millennials and Gen-Z consumers, a chatbox is the preferred support channel.
The main reason chatbots are so popular is that speed is always part of the equation when people want an answer. When people wait to speak with a service agent on the phone, it only takes 11 minutes before they get frustrated and hang up.
On the other hand, a chatbot will respond within a few seconds.
Another popular trend is voice assistants. If you have an iOS device, you’ve undoubtedly used Siri before. You might be surprised to know that voice assistant make up 20% of searches on Google. And 27% of the global population uses voice chat.
Online Shopping Statistics: Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Summary: Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain peak online shopping events, with over $8.9 billion in online spending and mobile driving 53% of sales.
As shoppers prepare to make online purchases, you should prepare to make crazy online sales.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are still the busiest time of the year in terms of spending money. Did you know that in 2021, 155 million Americans shopped on this holiday? Each of these people spent an average of $430 per person.
But 93% of the biggest spenders, millennials aged 24-35, plan to shop during this weekend. And they spend an average of $419.52 per person.
The majority of shopping happens online, $8.9 billion. As you can imagine, shopping in a physical store on Black Friday could be a recipe for disaster. That’s why 50% of people stay at home and browse on their devices. On Cyber Monday, 53% of online purchases came from a mobile device.
Related Content: Ultimate Guide to Black Friday & Cyber Monday Marketing [+ Calendar!]
Online Shopping Statistics: Gen Z
Summary: Gen Z will soon control 40% of all consumer spending, with 95% using smartphones and 85% discovering products via social media.
Although the oldest members of Generation Z are just now coming of age, their spending power is nothing to scoff at. Marketers must understand this generation’s unique needs and spending habits to stay relevant.
It’s predicted that Gen Z, born after 1998, will have $44 billion in buying power. As of now, 93% of parents say their Gen Z child influences household spending. And in just a couple of years, this generation will dominate 40% of all consumer shopping.
95% of this generation have a smartphone, which they spend nearly 10 hours or more per day on. Because of this, they are 2X more likely to shop on mobile devices than millennials.
54% of Gen Zers spend at least four hours daily on social media apps, and almost 38% spend even more time than that. 88% use YouTube, making it the generation’s most-used social platform. Instagram sits firmly in second, while TikTok and Snapchat tie for third.
85% of Gen Z use social media platforms to learn about new products.
Online Shopping Statistics: Payment Method
Summary: Credit/debit cards and digital wallets dominate online payments in 2025, while buy-now-pay-later and crypto gain traction among younger shoppers.
Debit and credit cards remain the most favored payment methods for online transactions. A staggering 70% of online shoppers prefer using their cards due to the convenience, security features, and widespread acceptance they offer.
With the introduction of EMV chips and secure online verification methods, card transactions have seen a decline in fraud rates by 15% in the past three years.
Digital wallets, such as PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Wallet, have seen a 40% increase in usage over the past two years. 60% of millennials and Gen Z shoppers prefer digital wallets for their online purchases due to their speed and convenience.
In regions like Europe and parts of Asia, 25% of online shoppers prefer direct bank transfers, especially for high-ticket items. Direct bank transfers are viewed as more secure, with a 10% higher trust rating compared to other payment methods.
In countries where online payment trust is still burgeoning, COD accounts for 35% of online transactions. Interestingly, COD orders have a 20% higher return rate compared to prepaid orders.
Services like Afterpay and Klarna have seen a 50% increase in adoption over the past year. 45% of users of these services are millennials who appreciate the flexibility in payment.
While still a niche, 5% of online retailers now accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum as valid payment methods. The volume of cryptocurrency transactions for online shopping has grown by 30% in the past two years.
QR code payments are dominant in countries like China and India, with 55% of online transactions in these regions using this method. Popular apps like WeChat and Paytm have integrated QR code payments, making it easier for consumers to adopt this method.
In conclusion, online shopping is a rapidly growing industry that offers convenience, variety, and ease of shopping.
The online shopping statistics outlined in this blog demonstrate the growing popularity of online shopping, trends, and changes that are taking place in the industry.
With the continued eCommerce growth trends, online shopping will likely continue to be a major player in the retail industry for years to come.
Online Shopping Statistics: Emerging Online Shopping Channels
Beyond traditional websites, new channels are changing the way people shop online. Here’s what to watch:
40% of U.S. online shoppers have purchased through live commerce events, with even higher adoption rates in Asia and Latin America.
BNPL transactions in the U.S. reached $133 billion in 2024, up 14% from the previous year, and are projected to grow to $206 billion by 2029.
By 2026, social commerce is expected to hit $2.9 trillion globally, growing at a 29% CAGR. In the U.S.:
- 69.4M shoppers use Facebook
- 47.5M shoppers use Instagram
- 37.8M shoppers use TikTok
💡 Takeaway: Consumers—especially Gen Z—are shopping where they scroll. If your business isn’t visible on social or offering flexible payments, you’re missing revenue opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What percentage of people shop online?
As of 2025, 33% of the global population—roughly 2.77 billion people—shop online through eCommerce platforms or social media stores.
2. What are the current statistics of eCommerce?
In 2025:
- Global eCommerce sales are projected to reach $6.86 trillion
- The U.S. alone will generate $1.29 trillion in online sales
- 21% of all retail purchases globally will be made online
- There are over 28 million eCommerce sites worldwide.
3. Which country has the most online shoppers?
China leads the world in online shopping with over 904 million digital buyers, followed by the United States with approximately 288 million online shoppers in 2025.
4. What is the success rate of eCommerce?
While success can vary, leading indicators include:
- A conversion rate average of 2.5% for eCommerce sites
- 70% cart abandonment rate, which can be lowered with tools like exit-intent popups
- Brands using automation see up to 80% boost in lead gen and 45% increase in ROI.
Improve Your Stores Shopping Experience with OptinMonster
All online stores rely heavily on generating leads via popups. OptinMonster is the most powerful conversion optimization tool and email popups creator in the world because:
- OptinMonster’s powerful drag-and-drop builder allows you to create visually stunning optin forms optimized for the highest conversion rates.
- You can choose from the perfect campaign type to display the most attention-grabbing offers to your visitors for maximum engagement.
- You can detect your visitors’ shopping behavior and use smart triggers to display the right campaign to the right person at the right time.
- It allows you to use precision targeting to create campaigns that generate more leads, attract more subscribers, and increase total retail sales.
- You can create campaigns that react and adapt in real-time so you can easily personalize, segment, and target for incredible conversions.
- You can get the stats that matter and the tools you need to take action and improve your lead-generation strategy.
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