25 eCommerce Statistics and How to Capitalize on Them in 2022

Keeping up with eCommerce statistics and trends lets you make on-point business decisions. You’ll be able to create effective marketing strategies to attract and retain online consumers and optimize conversion rates.

Since conducting extensive market research can be time-consuming, we compiled the must-know eCommerce statistics for 2022. The data ranges from general eCommerce statistics to consumer behavior and social marketing stats.

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The more you know about the ins and outs of the eCommerce industry, the easier it will be to capitalize on opportunities and make money online. Let’s get started.

Top 5 Online Sales Statistics to Consider for 2022–2025

Here are the top 5 eCommerce statistics that illustrate the current state of the eCommerce industry:

• Global retail eCommerce sales are projected to reach about $7.4 trillion by 2025.
• The average cart abandonment rate is 69.82%.
• Mobile eCommerce sales are projected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2024.
• Social commerce sales will rise by 26% to $1.2 trillion by 2025.
• 59% of online shoppers conduct research on Google before purchasing.

General eCommerce Statistics

This section provides stats on the global eCommerce growth. Therefore, they are relevant for all eCommerce businesses regardless of where they operate.

The following are the top eCommerce statistics for general business decision-making.

1. Over 2.14 billion people have bought goods and services online in 2021 (Statista).

As of 2021, the world population comprises over 7.9 billion people. That means 27% of the global population shop online to fulfill their needs.

In the US alone, eCommerce sales will grow 16.1% in 2022. This growth is expected to continue well beyond the pandemic, doubling from 2019 to 23.6% in 2025.

The same trend can also be seen in Europe as the region’s eCommerce market revenue is growing by 13.83% yearly. By 2025, Europe is projected to have 564.4 million eCommerce users.

With the global eCommerce market showing no signs of slowing down within the next few years, now is the perfect time to start an online business.

2. Online retail sales worldwide are projected to grow to about $7.4 trillion by 2025 (Statista).

Online shopping is one of the most popular activities today, especially now that the pandemic has limited customers’ mobility. This creates opportunities for stores to enter online marketplaces and generate higher revenues.

The pandemic has also contributed to the increasing number of first-time online shoppers, resulting in larger audiences to target.

By employing on-point marketing strategies and fostering an excellent customer experience, you can turn new shoppers into returning buyers.

3. The electronics industry accounted for the largest share of global revenues in 2022 at $988.4 billion (DataReportal).

This number beats the fashion industry, which came first in 2021, by approximately $84 billion. Meanwhile, the food and beverage industries have become the fastest-growing, displaying 38% and 35% growth, respectively.

By generating over $988.4 billion, the consumer electronics category takes the lead in the global business-to-consumer (B2C) eCommerce markets. Other thriving industries include toys, physical media, and personal and household care, all of which make over $350 billion in revenue.

Despite ranking second this year, the fashion industry still generates $904.5 billion in revenue, making it prospective in the coming years. If you’re interested in this business niche, check out our article on starting an online clothing store.

4. Digital and mobile wallets accounted for approximately 45% of global eCommerce transactions (Statista).

Digital payment systems have grown in popularity over the past few years. 50% of all transactions are projected to use digital payment systems by 2024.

Particularly popular in the Asia Pacific, digital and mobile wallets account for 60% of all transactions in the region.

In 2020, credit cards ranked second after digital and mobile wallets in the global market. However, their popularity is predicted to decline in the coming years.

Online stores should take advantage of this momentum and integrate popular digital wallets like PayPal and Apple Pay into their eCommerce sites. Doing so will make customers’ transactions easier, influencing their purchasing decisions.

5. China will continue to dominate the global eCommerce market in 2022 (Statista).

China’s domination in the eCommerce market, particularly the luxury goods industry, stems directly from travel restrictions. As of December 2021, approximately 842 million people in China shopped online.

The country makes a significant contribution to retail eCommerce sales worldwide. In 2020, around 140 million Chinese residents were cross-border online shoppers. This number is projected to increase to nearly 177 million by 2022.

With around 2% of the world’s population being Chinese cross-border online shoppers, you shouldn’t underestimate their buying power.

If you’re thinking about entering the Chinese market, consider building a multilingual eCommerce store with a localized assortment of products. Read our article on the best WordPress translation plugins for recommended tools.

Promoting your eCommerce store via China’s most popular social media platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat can also boost your brand awareness in the country.

eCommerce Consumer Behaviour Statistics

Understanding consumer behavior is essential for any eCommerce strategy. It improves user experience and ensures customer satisfaction for optimal conversion rates.

By knowing consumers’ needs and buying motives, you’ll be able to influence their purchasing decisions. It’ll also be easier to turn new buyers into loyal customers.

Here are the top five stats about online shopping behavior along with the guidelines on how to use them.

6. The average cart abandonment rate across all industries is 69.82% (Baymard Institute).

In the second quarter of 2021, the cart abandonment rate in the US was 66.1% for desktop users and 80.6% for mobile device users. As these percentages are consistent with what we’ve seen before, we can conclude that mobile shoppers are more likely to abandon a checkout than desktop users.

The top three reasons for online shopping cart abandonment are unexpected extra costs, account creation requirements, and a slow delivery process. Unanticipated additional charges such as shipping and taxes accounted for 48% of over 4,300 US-based digital buyers abandoning their shopping carts.

Offering free shipping can help reduce online shopping cart abandonment on mobile and desktop devices. If your eCommerce site has a signup system, give users the option to make online purchases without registering.

7. Checkout optimization can improve conversion rates by 35.26% (Baymard Institute).

18% of Baymard’s respondents have abandoned their carts due to a complicated checkout process. As the total of European and US eCommerce sales amount to about $738 billion, checkout optimizations may save up to $260 billion worth of lost orders.

Optimizing your checkout process and page design is an excellent way to reduce cart abandonment. Eliminate mandatory signups, support multiple digital payment systems, and use exit-intent popups – among other best practices.

8. 54% of online shoppers read online reviews before purchasing (BrightEdge).

This shopping habit is particularly prominent in local markets. 77% of US customers admitted to “always” or “regularly” reading online reviews before purchasing from local businesses in 2021.

Alongside reviews, star ratings play a big part in purchasing decisions. 40% of consumers have stated that they would only buy goods or services from businesses rated four stars or higher.

Since consumers usually turn to Google My Business for local business reviews, consider listing your business on the platform if you haven’t. Additionally, optimize customers’ web experience and leverage negative reviews.

9. Four out of ten online shoppers in the US claimed sustainable packaging influences their buying decisions online (Statista).

In 2019, the global eCommerce market used around 2.1 billion pounds of plastic packaging. This number is projected to reach 4.5 billion pounds by 2025.

The concern for inorganic waste worldwide contributes to the rising number of eco-conscious customers. In the US alone, 64% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products.

The easiest way to make your business more sustainable is by going paperless or using biodegradable packaging. If you produce your products in-house, opting for eco-friendly ingredients will make your brand more appealing to eco-conscious customers.

10. 40.3% of customers have significantly decreased their visits to brick-and-mortar stores due to COVID-19 (Raydiant).

This statistic shows how customers’ behavior has evolved in the past few years, providing you with another reason to start an online shop.

If you already run a physical store, consider branching out into omnichannel eCommerce by providing in-person and online shopping experiences. A seamless shopping experience across all eCommerce platforms will boost your offline and online conversion rates.

Omnichannel eCommerce marketing also shows more significant results than single-channel commerce. Companies marketing on multiple channels experienced a 494% higher purchase rate than those running single-channel campaigns.

Mobile Commerce Statistics

With mobile devices becoming more accessible, mobile commerce offers abundant opportunities for business entities to turn eCommerce website visits into purchases and increase brand awareness.

Here are the top five mobile eCommerce statistics and how to capitalize on them to influence mobile purchasing decisions.

11. 72.9% of global online retail sales come from mobile devices (Statista).

The fashion industry’s unbalanced traffic distribution is apparent, as visits from mobile devices account for 76% of all sessions. Mobile also dominates the retail sector, albeit less so, accounting for 67% of all website traffic.

The rapid rise of mobile usage contributes to the global mobile commerce market growth. As mobile commerce sales are projected to reach nearly $4.5 trillion by 2024, optimizing your online shop for mobile visitors will increase your overall traffic and revenue.

12. The total global transaction value of mobile commerce purchases made through voice assistants will reach $19.4 billion by 2023 (Statista).

The rising popularity of voice assistant technology has contributed to the global mobile commerce market growth.

33% of US mobile users access voice assistants. In 2020, 14% of US consumers made online purchases through voice-activated devices.

More people have become dependent on voice assistants during the pandemic. Adapt to this change by optimizing your store for voice search. Doing so will let you personalize the shopping experience of each visitor.

Pay attention to the local SEO and utilize long-tail keywords to make your online store easily discoverable via voice search.

13. Amazon’s shopping app ranked first among iOS users and second among Android users (Statista).

In 2020, the Amazon Alexa virtual assistant was compatible with approximately 9,500 brands. 10.8% of digital buyers used Amazon Alexa to make at least one online purchase.

If running your own website seems like a hassle, consider choosing a selling plan on Amazon and building your brand there.

Alternatively, create an online store on an eCommerce website building platform that supports Amazon integration, like Hostinger’s Zyro website builder.

14. Mobile users spend 88% of their mobile time in apps (eMarketer).

This contrast is particularly apparent in consumer buying behavior. Mobile users spend an average of 201.8 minutes/month online shopping via mobile applications. In comparison, people only spend 10.9 minutes/month doing so on websites.

63% of consumers prefer mobile apps over mobile sites because they find the former more convenient. 57% of consumers claim speed as the main reason for this preference, while 40% of consumers like that apps store their settings.

Furthermore, mobile apps have higher average conversion rates and order value than desktop and mobile websites. If you have a mobile online store, developing a mobile app will improve your customers’ shopping experience and increase eCommerce sales.

15. 29% of all mobile users will use QR codes to pay by 2025 (Juniper Research).

In 2020, 1.5 billion people used QR codes in contactless payments. In the US alone, their usage has increased by 11% during the pandemic. To no one’s surprise, this payment method’s transaction value is predicted to reach $2.7 trillion by 2025.

The top three QR code uses include the buy button, mobile transfers, and peer-to-peer transfers. It’s most popular among people aged 34–44.

There are many ways to utilize QR codes to increase traffic. For example, you can generate one for your online store and put it on promotional materials. As people are more inclined to scan QR codes, you’ll make it easier for them to visit the shop.

If you run a physical store, supporting QR code payments will boost the in-store shopping experience. It offers more payment options, potentially influencing their buying decisions.

eCommerce Marketing Statistics

The eCommerce marketing sector has evolved over the past years. Creating on-point marketing campaigns is essential to remain relevant in this highly competitive market.

The following are eCommerce statistics to help you design the best campaign.

16. 38% of customers are more likely to purchase from businesses that offer live chat support (Kayako).

Live chat plays a significant role in the customer experience and contributes to user engagement.

On the one hand, 79% of businesses agreed that implementing live chat has increased their sales, revenue, and customer loyalty. This is further supported by the fact that about 51% of consumers are more inclined to make repeat purchases from companies with live chat support.

Despite this, 40% of consumers have low expectations regarding the quality and speed of live chat support. 84% of consumers have even given up on a live chat due to long wait times and poor responses.

Providing an excellent live chat experience in your store will cater to this group of consumers. If you’re planning to do so, invest in a knowledgeable support team that can provide personalized expert assistance.

Avoid giving scripted responses as they make your company’s interactions with consumers impersonal. Additionally, optimize the queuing system to reduce wait times.

If your online store runs on WordPress, there are numerous great live chat plugins you can use to provide customer service.

17. 75% of consumers would switch brands for a better loyalty program (KPMG Global).

Loyalty programs are another popular marketing strategy to increase conversion and customer retention rates. Improving retention by only 5% will boost your business’s revenue by at least 25%. That’s because 43% of consumers spend more on brands they’re loyal to.

With over 90% of companies having some type of loyalty program, competition is fierce. Making loyalty programs work to your advantage will require lots of effort.

If you’re thinking of starting a loyalty program, consider offering immediate rewards instead of points ‒ 79% of consumers are no longer interested in accumulating the latter.

Premium or paid loyalty programs are now a popular alternative to the traditional type. 81% of traditional loyalty members are willing to join a premium loyalty program if the included benefits are valuable.

Some popular premium loyalty program rewards include free shipping, immediate discounts, and free giveaways.

18. 67% of eCommerce companies plan to invest in personalization (Statista).

Impersonal website content frustrates 74% of consumers. Over half of online stores in Europe and North America understand the power of personalization in digital marketing and are committed to implementing it.

44% of consumers will likely buy again from companies that offer a personalized customer experience. Meanwhile, 79% of consumers only want to engage with brands that previously provided personalized deals.

Creating personalized marketing campaigns and shopping experiences requires accurate customer data.

Monitor how consumers interact with your online store using digital marketing analytics tools like Google Analytics. Doing so will give you better insights into their preferences and shopping habits.

If WordPress powers your online store, there are plenty of plugins for Google Analytics that streamline the integration process.

19. Email marketing ROI is 4,200% (P2P).

In 2021, 4.1 billion people – more than half of the global population – used emails. This number is forecasted to reach 4.6 billion by 2025, making email one of the most important digital marketing channels.

Email marketing has a high return on investment, particularly in the retail, eCommerce, and consumer goods industries. It generates $42 for every dollar invested and encourages 60% of consumers to make a purchase.

Email personalization is equally as crucial as content personalization. It increases unique open rates by 29% and unique click rates by 41%.

If you want to engage in email marketing, start by building an email list. Use email subscription tools to create signup forms and manage emails.

20. 59% of online shoppers conduct research on Google before purchasing (Bizrate).

Google is the most popular place for reviews, surpassing Amazon by 2%. In 2021, 36.4% of consumers read one to three reviews before purchasing a product.

Google Ads’ seller ratings feature contributes to this statistic. It lets online retailers display their high ratings on search ads, leaving a positive impression on potential customers.

Google dominates 90% of the search engine market, so displaying your products via Google Shopping will help you attract more traffic. You can try creating shopping ads since they generate 85% of the total clicks on Google Ads.

Applying the best SEO practices on your site will significantly boost your brand visibility on search engines. Doing so will help turn eCommerce website visitors into buyers, resulting in higher revenues.

Social Media Statistics for eCommerce

The number of mobile device users grows alongside social media users. As a consequence, social media sites have become one of the best eCommerce platforms for marketing.

Here are all the facts about social media eCommerce, with tips on leveraging them to improve online sales.

21. An average of thirteen new users start using social media every second (DataReportal).

Between January and December 2021, 424 million new users joined social media.

There are six social platforms with over 1 billion monthly active users, while 17 have 300 million monthly active users. Facebook is the world’s most active social platform, with 2,910 billion monthly active users.

As over 58.4% of the world population uses social media, building a presence on these platforms can boost your brand awareness. Add social media icons to your store to encourage customers to share their favorite products on their accounts.

WordPress has many social media plugins you can install to let visitors share your products and content.

22. More than half of all US adults have made at least one purchase through social media in 2021 (Insider Intelligence).

More and more social platforms have launched social commerce features in response to this trend. Consequently, social commerce sales are projected to rise by 26% to $1.2 trillion by 2025.

If you’re planning to advertise on social media, consider taking advantage of social commerce features. Facebook, for example, has the Commerce Manager tool that lets you manage catalogs on Facebook and Instagram.

23. 78% of consumers agree that social media is the fastest way to connect with a brand (Sprout Social).

Social media ranks first at 31% as the most preferred channel for sharing feedback about a product or service, followed by email at 18%.

Interestingly, social media is also the most popular channel for getting assistance from businesses – outranking dedicated customer service channels and email support.

91% of consumers who follow brands on social media visit those brands’ websites and apps, whereas 90% choose to buy from them.

86% of consumers prefer brands they follow over a competitor, with 83% going as far as recommending the brands to their friends and family.

Based on these social media eCommerce statistics, it’d be beneficial for your business to have active social media accounts. Establishing a social media presence helps build brand awareness, boost your customer experience, and increase retail sales.

24. 81% of Instagram users discover new products and services on the social media platform (Instagram for Business).

Instagram has over one billion monthly active users. Over two-thirds of its global audience is between 18 and 34 years old. 90% of Instagram users follow a brand account, making it a lucrative platform for eCommerce marketing.

Instagram’s popularity and ability to let B2C companies share photos and videos offer tons of exposure. In fact, 44% of Instagram users shop on the platform weekly.

If you’re looking for social media platforms for brand promotion, Instagram is worth considering. Integrate Instagram plugins on your WordPress website and boost brand awareness.

25. 88% of consumers consider authenticity the most important factor when deciding which brands to support (Stackla).

Marketers have come up with numerous types of content to convey authentic brand messages. Despite this, 60% of consumers think that user-generated content (UGC) is the most authentic.

79% of consumers find that UGC influences their buying decisions more than influencer or branded content. 58% of shoppers have abandoned their shopping carts due to the absence of user reviews and pictures.

The best way to generate UGC involves inviting consumers to join your online community. 62% of consumers have stated that they are happy to join brand communities and create content for companies they believe in.

Besides providing excellent promotional material, doing so will improve customer loyalty and encourage purchases online. 61% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that invite them to engage.

Conclusion

The rapid growth of retail and eCommerce stores has created a saturated market that’s difficult to navigate unless you keep up with the ever-evolving industry.

Understanding your target audience and their buying decisions will make it easier to connect with them and influence them.

This article has gone over the top 25 must-know eCommerce statistics about consumer behavior, mobile commerce, social media marketing, and eCommerce marketing. We have also suggested what actions to take to leverage each statistic for increased returns.

We hope this article has helped you understand the current state of the eCommerce industry. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments section below.