46+ Online Shopping Statistics: The Facts & Trends
Online shopping is huge right now, and it’s changing how people buy things, which is a big deal for businesses.
But just how big is online shopping these days?
With that in mind, we’ll do a deep dive into the most important online shopping statistics to help your business stay competitive.
Online Shopping Statistics: Key Numbers
- The number of online shoppers in the United States has increased by 17% in the last five years.
- As of 2023, there were 2.64 billion online shoppers worldwide.
- In 2022, there were 274.72 million US online shoppers, and by 2027, the number is projected to increase to almost 289.91 million.
- Approximately 80% of Americans have shopped online.
- Since 2010, global eCommerce sales have increased by nearly 800%.
- As of 2022, 21% of global retail sales are online, with the goal of reaching 27% by 2026.
- By 2023, global retail ecommerce sales will total $6.169 trillion and account for 22.3% of total retail sales, up from $3.351 trillion and 13.8% in 2019.
- 63 percent of shopping occasions begin online.
- Approximately 50% of shoppers shop more on mobile than in-store.
- The average person spent $5,381 online in 2023.
Source: (Zippia, Drip, Oberlo, Tidio, Shopify, FitSmallBusiness, Oberlo, Statista, Insider intelligence, Thinkwithgoogle, 2018, Ibotta, 2018, Yahoo, Morgan Stanley, Insider Intelligence)
Shopper Demographic
- 73% of Generation Z said they shop online, and the majority (60%) said they do so at least once a week.
- 83.1% of millennials do the majority of their shopping online.
- Millennials, who are estimated to spend $1.4 trillion in 2020.
- By 2024, black consumer purchasing power is expected to reach $1.8 trillion.
- According to the “Taking Stock with Teen” research reports, the average teenager spends $2,391 per year.
- Americans spend $63,531 per year on average.
How Many People Shop Online?
As of 2023, there are approximately 2.64 billion people who shop online worldwide, according to a report by eMarketer and Oberlo. That is approximately 33.4% of people who shop online globally.
Shopping Online vs in Store Statistics
- 40% of consumers make an in-store purchase at least once a week, compared to 27% who make an online purchase at least once a week.
- 67% of millennials prefer online shopping to in-store shopping, compared to 72% of seniors who prefer in store shopping.
- Currently, about 20% of all retail sales happen online, compared to 80% in physical stores.
- 52% of Gen Z in the US prefer to shop online, while 48% prefer to shop in-store.
- 81% of retail shoppers conduct online research before buying.
- Physical stores are growing at a rate of 18.5%, while e-commerce is growing at a rate of 14.2%.
- 42% of holiday shoppers will research and buy online, while 23% will shop in-store.
Sources: (PWC, Statista, Tidio, GWI, General Electric, Census, Bigcommerce)
Baby Boomers Online Shopping Habits
- There are 76.4 million Baby Boomers, with a combined purchasing power of $548 billion.
- 21% of baby boomers shop online.
- 65.2% of Baby Boomer shoppers began their shopping journey on Facebook and Instagram.
- 80% of baby boomers consider price when making a purchase decision.
- Baby boomers spent 49% more online in 2020 than they did the year before.
- The average boomer spent $1,615 online from January to October 2021, up 49% from the year before.
- 52% of baby boomers shop online on computers, 24% on phones, and 11% on tablets.
- 45% of baby boomers shop online more due to the pandemic.
- Baby Boomers control 70% of US disposable income.
Sources: (Statista, Hubspot)
Gen X Online Shopping Habits
- Gen X has a total purchasing power of $357 billion.
- 43% of Gen X consumers shop online.
- 51% of Gen Xers have purchased an item through social media.
- Roughly, 66% of Gen Xers say they use their mobile phones most for online shopping.
- 40% of Gen X consumers discovered new products through online searches in the last three months.
- Gen Xers make nearly 19 online purchases per year on average.
- 22% of Generation X shoppers purchase groceries online.
- 53% of Gen Xers prefer big-box retailers such as Amazon.
- 29% of Gen Xers buy beauty and electronics online.
- On average, Gen Xers spend 37.4 hours per month online.
Sources: (Hubspot, Fisglobal, MarketingCharts, EMarketer)
Gen Z Online Shopping Statistics
- Gen Z consumers have $360 billion in purchasing power.
- 52% of Gen Z in the US prefer to shop online, while 48% prefer to shop in-store.
- 32% of Gen Z consumers shop online at least once a day, compared to 25% of millennials, 15% of Gen X, and 7% of baby boomers.
- Gen Z is 2X more likely to use an online-only store or brand website than any other generation.
- 96% of surveyed Gen Z consumers in the United States reported shopping online at least once a month in the first quarter of 2023.
- 58% of Gen Zers have increased their online grocery shopping.
- 51% of Gen Z cited price comparison as the leading advantage of online shopping.
- 54% of Generation Z say they will only shop online in the next decade.
- 43% of Gen Z consumers surveyed begin their online product searches on TikTok.
- 38% of Gen Z start their product searches on Google, compared to 36% on Amazon.
- 73% of Gen Z said that they shop online, and a majority of those shoppers (60%) said that they do so at least once a week
- 25% of Gen Z often make impulse purchases.
- 73% of Gen Z consumers are willing to pay 10% more for sustainable products.
- 52% of Gen Z in the US prefer to shop online, while 48% prefer to shop in-store.
Sources: (GWI, Yahoo, SurveyMonkey, ICSC, The Influencer Marketing Factory, Food Institute, FirstInsight, Bluestonepim)
Millennial Online Shopping Statistics
- 80% of millennials now do most shopping online, up from 60% in 2019, and 56% use their phones, up from 36%.
- Approximately, 57.79 million millennials shop online, according to our calculation from the latest data.
- According to the most recent data, millennials have a $2.5 trillion annual spending power.
- In the US, millennials’ spending accounted for 30% of total retail sales in 2020.
- 73% of millennials plan to spend the same or more online.
- 27% of millennials intend to spend significantly more online and less in physical retail stores.
- 91% of millennials prefer to shop online, with only 9% preferring to shop in-store only.
- Millennials spend $208.77 per day on average, more than any other generation.
- 40% of millennials read online reviews before making a purchase.
- 59% of millennials polled say they buy clothing and shoes online.
- 72% of millennials reported social media impacts their buying decisions.
- 40% of millennials are shopping on social media.
- 78% of millennials now follow brands on social media (up from 57% in 2017)
- 75% of millennials shop on Amazon compare to Walmart (46%), eBay (20%).
- 44% of millennials shop online because #1 factor that is fast shipping and more product options.
- Millennial shoppers spend more on grocery; this group reported spending a monthly average of $298 on groceries.
- The average 25- to 34-year-old reported spending $2,008 per year at coffee shops
Sources: (CouponFollow, ESW, BusinessWire, JungleScout)