E-commerce continues its relentless growth, reshaping how consumers shop and how businesses sell. With global online sales surpassing $6.4 trillion in 2025 and mobile commerce accounting for nearly 60% of all transactions, the shift from brick-and-mortar to digital is accelerating. These e-commerce statistics offer the latest data on market size, consumer behavior, and the trends driving online retail in 2026.
E-commerce Statistics (Editor's Choice)
- Global e-commerce sales reached $6.42 trillion in 2025. (Shopify, Statista)
- E-commerce is projected to hit $6.88 trillion in 2026. (Statista)
- E-commerce accounts for 20.5% of worldwide retail sales. (eMarketer)
- There are 2.77 billion online shoppers globally in 2025. (Statista)
- Mobile commerce made up 59% of all online retail sales in 2025. (Statista)
- China generated over $3.4 trillion in online sales in 2025. (eMarketer)
- The global social commerce market was valued at $1.63 trillion in 2025. (Grand View Research)
- Average cart abandonment rate stands at 70.19%. (Baymard Institute)
Global E-commerce Market Size
1. Global e-commerce sales reached $6.42 trillion in 2025.
Global retail e-commerce grew 6.86% year-over-year in 2025. The market has more than doubled from $3.35 trillion in 2019, driven by the COVID-era digital shift and continued growth in emerging markets.
(Shopify, Statista)
2. E-commerce is projected to reach $6.88 trillion in 2026.
This represents a 7.2% increase from 2025. By 2028, global e-commerce is expected to surpass $8 trillion as online shopping continues to penetrate new markets and product categories.
(Statista, eMarketer)
3. E-commerce accounts for 20.5% of worldwide retail sales in 2025.
This share is projected to reach 22.5% by 2028. While online shopping has grown enormously, the majority of retail still happens in physical stores — suggesting significant room for continued e-commerce growth.
(eMarketer, Shopify)
4. China is the world's largest e-commerce market at $3.4 trillion.
Chinese consumers generated over $3.4 trillion in online sales in 2025, representing roughly 50% of all global e-commerce. Platforms like Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, and Douyin (TikTok's Chinese version) dominate the market. The US is second at approximately $1.2 trillion.
(eMarketer, Statista)
5. There are 2.77 billion online shoppers globally in 2025.
This means 33% of the world's population shops online. The number is expected to grow to 2.86 billion in 2026 as internet penetration increases in developing regions across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
(Statista)
Mobile Commerce Statistics
6. Mobile commerce made up 59% of all online retail sales in 2025.
M-commerce sales reached approximately $4.01 trillion globally, up from 54% of e-commerce in 2023. Smartphone-first shopping is now the norm in most markets, and mobile's share continues to grow each year.
(Statista, Shopify)
7. Mobile commerce is projected to reach $4.5 trillion in 2026.
As payment solutions like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services make mobile checkout frictionless, more consumers are completing purchases on their phones rather than switching to desktop.
(Statista, Capital One Shopping)
8. 76% of consumers have shopped on a mobile device in the past 6 months.
Mobile shopping is no longer an alternative — it's the primary channel for most consumers. Retailers without mobile-optimized experiences risk losing the majority of their potential customers.
(Salesforce, Shopify)
Social Commerce & Marketplace Statistics
9. The global social commerce market was valued at $1.63 trillion in 2025.
Social commerce — buying directly through social media platforms — is estimated to reach $2.11 trillion in 2026. TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, and Facebook Shops are the primary drivers, with China's livestream commerce model increasingly being adopted in Western markets.
(Grand View Research, Statista)
10. Amazon remains the dominant e-commerce marketplace with 37.6% US market share.
Amazon captures more than a third of all US e-commerce sales. However, competition is intensifying from Walmart (6.4%), Apple (3.6%), and fast-growing newcomers like Temu and Shein, which have rapidly gained market share since 2023.
(eMarketer, Statista)
11. Cross-border e-commerce is projected to reach $7.9 trillion by 2030.
International online shopping is growing rapidly as logistics improve and platforms like AliExpress, Temu, and Amazon Global make it easier to buy from overseas sellers. In 2025, cross-border e-commerce accounted for approximately 22% of global online sales.
(Shopify, Craftberry)
Consumer Behavior & Conversion Statistics
12. The average cart abandonment rate is 70.19%.
Nearly 7 out of 10 shopping carts are abandoned before checkout. The top reasons include unexpected shipping costs (48%), being required to create an account (26%), and a checkout process that's too complicated (22%).
(Baymard Institute)
13. The average e-commerce conversion rate is 2.5–3.0% globally.
Conversion rates vary significantly by industry — electronics and fashion tend to be lower (1.5–2.5%), while food, health, and beauty products see higher rates (3–5%). Desktop still converts higher than mobile in most categories.
(Statista, Shopify)
14. Free shipping influences 75% of online purchase decisions.
Shipping costs remain the single biggest factor in purchase decisions. Consumers are conditioned by Amazon Prime's free shipping model, and retailers that don't offer free or low-cost shipping risk losing sales to competitors who do.
(Shopify, Capital One Shopping)
15. 87% of shoppers begin their product search online.
Whether they ultimately buy online or in-store, the vast majority of consumers start their shopping journey with an online search. Google, Amazon, and increasingly TikTok are the top starting points for product discovery.
(Salesforce, Shopify)
E-commerce Payment & Technology Trends
16. Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) transactions reached $576 billion globally in 2025.
BNPL services like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm have become mainstream payment options. Over 40% of Gen Z and Millennial online shoppers have used BNPL at least once, driving significant growth in average order values.
(Juniper Research, Statista)
17. Digital wallets account for 52% of global online payment transactions.
PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Alipay are the leading digital wallets worldwide. Credit cards have dropped to 21% of online transactions as consumers shift toward more convenient digital payment methods.
(Worldpay, Statista)
18. AI-powered product recommendations drive 35% of Amazon's revenue.
Personalization is a massive driver of e-commerce sales. AI-driven recommendations, personalized emails, and dynamic pricing are used by the majority of top e-commerce retailers to increase conversion rates and average order values.
(McKinsey, Amazon)
Regional E-commerce Statistics
19. US e-commerce sales reached approximately $1.2 trillion in 2025.
The US remains the world's second-largest e-commerce market. E-commerce penetration in the US reached about 22% of total retail, with electronics, apparel, and groceries being the top online categories.
(US Commerce Department, eMarketer)
20. Southeast Asia's e-commerce market grew 15% to reach $260 billion in 2025.
Markets like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines are experiencing rapid e-commerce growth driven by rising internet penetration and mobile-first consumers. Shopee and Lazada are the dominant platforms in the region.
(Google-Temasek-Bain e-Conomy report, Statista)
21. Latin America's e-commerce market surpassed $350 billion in 2025.
Brazil and Mexico lead the region, with MercadoLibre as the dominant marketplace. E-commerce growth in Latin America has been fueled by improved logistics, digital payment adoption, and a growing middle class.
(eMarketer, MercadoLibre)
B2B E-commerce
22. The global B2B e-commerce market is valued at $36 trillion in 2026.
B2B e-commerce dwarfs B2C, driven by wholesale marketplaces, procurement platforms, and manufacturer-direct sales. Companies are increasingly expecting Amazon-like buying experiences in their business purchases.
(Shopify, Statista)
23. 73% of B2B buyers prefer to purchase online over traditional sales channels.
The shift to digital B2B purchasing has accelerated, with buyers expecting self-serve portals, real-time pricing, and streamlined reordering. Companies that don't offer digital purchasing options risk losing customers to competitors that do.
(McKinsey, Gartner)
E-commerce Sustainability & Returns
24. E-commerce return rates average 20–30%, compared to 8–10% for in-store purchases.
Returns are one of the biggest cost challenges for online retailers. Apparel has the highest return rate at 24–30%, driven by sizing issues. Many retailers are now using AI-powered size recommendation tools to reduce returns.
(National Retail Federation, Shopify)
25. 78% of consumers say sustainability influences their online purchasing decisions.
Eco-conscious shopping is growing, with consumers seeking sustainable packaging, carbon-neutral shipping, and ethical sourcing. Major e-commerce players like Amazon and Shopify have launched sustainability programs in response to consumer demand.
(Salesforce, Deloitte)
E-commerce Statistics FAQ
How big is global e-commerce in 2026?
Global e-commerce is projected to reach $6.88 trillion in 2026, up 7.2% from $6.42 trillion in 2025. E-commerce now represents over 20% of all global retail sales.
What percentage of shopping is done online?
E-commerce accounts for approximately 20.5% of worldwide retail sales in 2025, projected to reach 22.5% by 2028. In some markets like China and South Korea, online penetration exceeds 30%.
Which country has the most online shoppers?
China is the world's largest e-commerce market by a wide margin, with over $3.4 trillion in online sales in 2025. The United States is second at approximately $1.2 trillion.