How Many People Shop Online in 2024? (+13 Questions Answered)

Do you know how many people shop online and why they do it? 

Online shopping is becoming more popular every year. In fact, according to recent studies, more and more people are choosing to shop online as opposed to brick-and-mortar stores. 

Whether for convenience, price comparisons, or simply because they can’t find what they are looking for in stores, more and more customers are shopping from the comfort of their homes. So, what exactly are the numbers behind this trend? 

Keep reading to find out.

Online Shopping Statistics

In the US, 69% of people have shopped online. Moreover, around 230 million Americans shopped online in 2021.

In 2024, that number is expected to rise to a whopping 278.33 million. In other words, the percentage will increase from about 69% in 2021 to 84% of the entire US population in 2024 (if we take the 2020 Census data as the starting point for our calculation).

This is huge!

Clearly, American customers are happy with their shopping experience.

1. How Much Shopping Is Done Online?

In 2021, more than 2.14 billion people globally shopped online. That number is expected to rise even more in the future.

If we look at online shopping statistics by year, this represents a considerable rise in online consumers, up from around 2 billion in 2020 and 1.92 billion in 2019.

The Chinese online market is the largest in the world, while the US comes second.

2. How Many Americans Shop Online?

Americans have shopped online more in recent years, and this trend is only continuing. In June 2022, it’s estimated that nearly 215 million Americans, approximately 77% of the population, shop online. 

Ecommerce grew 14.2% in 2021 in the United States. This was lower than the 31.8% growth seen in 2020, but it’s on par with pre-pandemic growth levels. Online shopping trends suggest that the median online sales growth for the five years leading up to the pandemic was 14.2%. 

Compared to 2019, online spending increased by 50.5% in 2021. These numbers show that even though the pandemic has significantly impacted online expenditures, ecommerce is still growing at a healthy rate.

These figures solidify America’s position in second place in terms of ecommerce market size.

3. What Percentage of All Retail Sales Are Online?

Ecommerce continues to grow in popularity, with 2020 seeing a significant increase in online shopping due to the pandemic. This trend continued in 2021, with ecommerce accounting for 19.1% of all retail sales. 

This is a significant increase from 15.5% in 2019, and it’s clear that more and more people are turning to the internet for their shopping needs. With the convenience and ease of online shopping, it is no wonder that this trend is on the rise. 

With this trend only expected to grow, it will be interesting to see how brick-and-mortar stores adapt to compete with the convenience of online shopping.

4. Who Does the Most Online Shopping?

According to recent studies, millennials are the largest group of digital buyers in the United States, accounting for 20.2% of all online purchases. 

Women are also leading the way in online shopping, with more than 98% making grocery store purchases online. 

When it comes to the countries that spend the most on online shopping, China, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany top the list.

5. What Are People Buying Online?

During COVID-19, 90% of consumers worldwide have purchased clothing items. Moreover, online grocery shopping statistics show that groceries account for 8.9% of US ecommerce share. 

There are a variety of things that people buy online. One popular category is electronics. In fact, this includes items like computers, tablets, phones, and accessories. People are also buying clothes and shoes online, as apparel industry statistics indicate. 

The number of online shoppers buying home goods is also high. This can include items like furniture, appliances, kitchenware, and bedding. 

Finally, people also buy books, movies, music, etc. In general, they are buying more and more things online every year. Buying something online will only become easier and more convenient as technology improves.

This brings us to the next question.

6. What Do People Buy the Most Online?

The most popular categories and items bought online show that online shopping trends are not changing much. 

Yes, ecommerce growth statistics confirm that most categories are experiencing growth, but clothes and footwear remain steady in the leading position across the globe. So, adult Americans buy mainly fashion.

More specifically, clothing, shoes, and electronic items are the most popular items purchased online, with a combined market value of over $3.6 trillion. Clothing is the most popular category, accounting for approximately $2 trillion in sales. 

Shoes are the second most popular category, with sales of around $530 billion. Electronic items are the third most popular category, with sales of about $1.14 trillion.

7. How Many Products Are Bought Online?

There is no statistical way to measure the exact number of products sold globally online.

For instance, Amazon alone sold more than 75.1 million products as of March 2021. 

We could look at the number of transactions, but that wouldn’t be accurate, as customers often buy more than one item. Likewise, you can’t get a straight answer about the exact number of goods, even by the percentage of online shoppers. 

There is also the average revenue per shopper, which varies from country to country. So, while interesting itself, it still fails to deliver the info.

Therefore, the total number of products bought online is impossible to determine. Given this, we must look at the size and growth of online markets through other online shopping data.

8. How Many People Shop Clothing Online?

As anyone who has attempted to do their shopping online can attest, finding the right clothing size can be a challenge. That is why many people prefer to try on clothes in person to ensure a good fit. 

At the same time, many people are willing to take the risk and purchase clothing online. In fact, according to the latest online shopper statistics, 59% of US adults buy clothing online. This figure represents a significant increase from previous years. 

There are a number of reasons why people might choose to shop for clothing online, including the greater variety of styles and colors available and the convenience of being able to shop from home. 

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that shopping for clothing online is becoming increasingly popular.

9. How Many More People Shop Online Compared to in-Store?

Statistics on online shopping vs. in-store shopping show that ecommerce accounted for 19.1% of all retail sales in 2021.

However, the boundary between online and in-store is steadily becoming less pronounced. With click-and-collect, curbside pick-up arrangements, and most purchases starting with online research, shopping is becoming an increasingly unified experience.

Still, an interesting difference is seen in the numbers—71% of consumers tend to spend over $50 more when buying in stores in comparison to 54% for online shopping. 

10. What Age Group Buys the Most Online?

Millennials are the age group most likely to purchase goods and services online, according to recent studies. In the United States, they account for 20.2% of all online purchases. Moreover, Millennials buy more frequently and spend around $2,000 a year online

They are still the demographic that sellers are most focused on because they spend more.

In fact, the percentage of shopping done online is the highest in this age group due to several factors, including the one that Millennials are early adopters of new technology and trends. 

They are also the most likely age group to live in urban areas, with greater access to online retailers. Furthermore, Millennials are generally more comfortable making online purchases than older generations. 

With greater numbers of millennials entering the workforce and having disposable incomes, their dominance of online purchasing will likely continue in the years to come.

11. How Many People Use a Mobile Device to Shop Online?

It’s no secret that mobile shopping is on the rise. A recent study found that 68% of US consumers are shopping more often now with their mobile phones than just two years ago. 

In addition, mcommerce statistics reveal that during the 2020 holiday season, more than one-third of all purchases were made on smartphones. 

This holiday statistic showed an increase in online shopping done via mobile phones. But just how big is the mobile shopping trend?

Recent ecommerce statistics show that 72.9% of all online sales in the US came from mobile devices in 2021. 

That means that almost three-quarters of all ecommerce transactions are now taking place on smartphones and tablets. 

With mobile commerce expected to continue growing at a rapid pace, it’s clear that shoppers are increasingly turning to their phones to make purchases.

Learn how many ecommerce sites there are here.

12. What Percentage of Shopping Was Done Online in 2020?

When COVID-19 hit the United States, ecommerce sales rose by 3.6%, from 15.5% in 2019 to 19.1% in 2020.

This surge in online spending was driven by a combination of factors, including a shift in consumer behavior as people sought to avoid brick-and-mortar stores and an increase in ecommerce adoption among businesses forced to close down their physical stores. 

In addition, the pandemic spurred a boom in digital grocery and delivery services, as consumers looked for ways to minimize contact with others. As a result of these trends, online shopping statistics prove that 2020 was a banner year for online shopping.

13. Why Do People Shop Online?

There are many reasons people choose to shop online. One of the most common reasons is convenience. People can shop from the comfort of their own homes and have items delivered right to their doorstep. 

This is especially beneficial for people who have difficulty getting to physical stores, such as the elderly or disabled. Another reason behind the high number of digital buyers worldwide is that people shop online to avoid sales pressure from in-person retailers. 

It can be difficult to say no to someone in person, but it’s much easier to do so when shopping online. Additionally, online shopping makes it easy to replace or return items that are not satisfactory, thanks to the easy checkout process and fast delivery options. 

Finally, people often turn to online shopping when looking for rare or unique items not carried in physical stores. The vast selection of online products makes it easy to find something that meets your specific needs or interests.

If you want to know how to save money shopping online, click here. 

Conclusion

Online shopping is fast, convenient, and comfortable, and the number of online shoppers worldwide is only increasing. 

Due to free deliveries and return policies, it draws people who don’t like the buzz of in-store shopping. It offers an escape and an easy solution. 

No wonder online shopping numbers continue to rise. Our fast-paced lives don’t leave much room for driving to remote shops and queuing, only to complete a chore we can be done with during the commute home. 

Simply put—when it comes to online sales, the only way is up.

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