Global retail ecommerce sales exceeded $3.6 trillion. In the US alone, ecommerce totaled $1,233.7 billion for the full year, accounting for 16.4% of all retail sales.
These ecommerce statistics cover market size, mobile trends, cart behavior, fraud, and more.
Global Ecommerce Sales Statistics (2025–2026)
Online retail sales have grown steadily for over a decade, but the scale today is different from what most people picture.
The global retail ecommerce market surpassed $3.6 trillion in 2026 a figure that spans physical goods ordered online, digital products, and cross-border purchases.
According to data from Statista, ecommerce now accounts for roughly 23.5% of total global retail sales, meaning nearly one in four retail dollars worldwide is spent online.
Growth isn't uniform across regions. India holds the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) among major ecommerce markets, driven by rapid smartphone adoption and expanding internet access.
More established markets like the US and Western Europe are still growing, but at slower rates.
What's often overlooked is the domestic-vs-cross-border split.
A meaningful portion of ecommerce revenue comes from shoppers buying across national borders 52% of online shoppers globally report purchasing from both local and international websites.
|
Region |
Retail Ecommerce Revenue |
|
Asia-Pacific |
Largest share globally |
|
North America |
Second largest |
|
Europe |
Third largest |
|
Latin America |
Fastest growing after Asia |
|
Middle East & Africa |
Smallest but rising |
Note: Exact regional dollar figures beyond what is publicly confirmed are not included. Relative rankings reflect broadly reported industry data.
In practice, teams managing cross-border ecommerce commonly report that currency handling, local payment methods, and shipping expectations vary significantly by region global revenue figures don't capture that operational complexity.
US Ecommerce Statistics (2025–2026)
The US Census Bureau releases quarterly ecommerce sales data one of the most reliable official sources available. The Q4 2025 figures, released March 10, 2026, show a clear picture of where US online retail stands.
Q4 2025 US Ecommerce Sales
US retail ecommerce sales for Q4 2025 reached $316.1 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis a 1.7% increase (±0.5%) from Q3 2025.
Year-over-year, Q4 2025 ecommerce grew 5.3% compared to Q4 2024, while total retail sales grew only 2.7% in the same period. That gap matters. Ecommerce is still outpacing overall retail growth.
On an unadjusted basis which reflects actual raw sales without smoothing for seasonal patterns Q4 2025 came in at $365.2 billion, up 21.8% from Q3.
The large jump from Q3 to Q4 on the unadjusted figure reflects holiday season spending, particularly in November and December.
Full-Year 2025 US Ecommerce
Total US ecommerce for 2025: $1,233.7 billion, up 5.4% (±1.2%) from 2024. Total retail sales across all channels grew 3.5% in the same period again, ecommerce grew faster.
Ecommerce's share of total US retail sales moved from 16.1% in 2024 to 16.4% in 2025. A small shift numerically, but consistent directional growth.
One thing worth understanding: the seasonally adjusted figures exist to strip out the holiday effect so quarter-to-quarter comparisons are fair.
The unadjusted figures are what actually moved through the economy. Both matter depending on what you're measuring.
Online Shopping Behavior Statistics
The mechanics of how people actually shop online reveal some consistent patterns and some persistent problems for retailers.
How Often People Shop Online
Around 34% of online shoppers make a purchase at least once a week. That's a meaningful segment of habitual buyers, not occasional visitors. Most ecommerce revenue is driven by repeat customers, not first-time browsers.
Cart Abandonment Rate
The average online shopping cart abandonment rate sits at approximately 70% a figure that has stayed relatively stable since around 2014 across dozens of studies.
Seven out of ten people who add something to a cart don't complete the purchase. That's not a failure of individual stores; it reflects how people browse online.
Many add items to carts as a form of wishlist behavior, with no immediate intent to buy.
The reasons people leave vary, but the data is fairly consistent:
|
Reason for Cart Abandonment |
Share of Shoppers |
|
Extra costs (shipping, taxes, fees) |
47% |
|
Required to create an account |
25% |
|
Slow delivery times |
24% |
|
Website privacy concerns |
Listed as top factor |
|
Long or complicated checkout |
Listed as top factor |
Source: Broadly reported across Baymard Institute and Statista research compilations.
In practice, most ecommerce operators find that enabling guest checkout and being upfront about shipping costs before checkout reduces abandonment more than any retargeting campaign does.
Shoppers who abandon carts due to unexpected costs are often the same ones managing tight monthly budgets tools like gomyfinance.com create budget reflect how consumer spending awareness directly influences online purchasing decisions.
International Shopping
Fifty-two percent of global online shoppers report ordering from both domestic and international websites. Cross-border ecommerce is no longer niche it's a baseline expectation for a large portion of online buyers.
Mobile Ecommerce Statistics
Mobile commerce growth is probably the most structurally important trend in ecommerce right now. Not because it's new, but because the scale has reached a point where desktop-first design is genuinely a liability.
91% of online shoppers use their smartphone to make purchases. Mobile commerce accounted for $491 billion in sales in 2023, and by 2027, mobile is projected to account for 62% of all ecommerce retail sales up from 56% in 2018.
At first glance, that projection seems high. But it tracks with the behavior shift in markets like India, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa, where mobile is the primary sometimes only internet access point.
|
Device |
Current Role in Ecommerce |
|
Smartphone |
Dominant — 91% of shoppers use it |
|
Desktop/laptop |
Still relevant for high-value purchases |
|
Tablet |
Declining — projected $54B by 2026, down from $61B in 2022 |
Tablet ecommerce is actually shrinking. Better mobile UX on phones has largely absorbed what tablets once handled.
Social Commerce Statistics
Social commerce buying directly through social media platforms has moved from a niche behavior to a measurable market segment.
Global social commerce revenue was estimated at $992 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $8.5 trillion by 2030. That's a large projection range, and it should be read as directional rather than precise.
In the US, an estimated 106.8 million people shopped on social media in 2023, expected to reach around 118 million by 2027.
Brands looking to reach this audience are increasingly investing in paid social placements platforms like advertise feedbuzzard com represent the broader shift toward content-driven advertising channels that sit alongside social commerce growth.
Platform and Demographic Breakdown
- Facebook leads social commerce transactions — about 51% of respondents in surveys report using it for purchases
- Douyin (TikTok's Chinese counterpart) is the leading social commerce platform globally by revenue
- Social commerce adoption is highest in China, India, and Thailand, where over 70% of users have engaged in live shopping
- 55% of US users aged 18–24 have made at least one social media purchase
- 49% of social commerce shoppers say an influencer's recommendation influenced a purchase
Social commerce share of total ecommerce is currently estimated at around 15% globally. It's
growing, but it's worth noting that most social commerce revenue is concentrated in Asia particularly China. Western markets are still catching up.
Ecommerce Market Share Leading Platforms
Amazon dominates US ecommerce by a wide margin. Its market share stands at 37.6% of all US ecommerce sales, though this is slightly down from 37.8% the prior year.
The gap between Amazon and the next-largest player is substantial.
|
Platform |
US Ecommerce Market Share |
|
Amazon |
37.6% |
|
Walmart |
6.4% |
|
Apple |
3.6% |
|
eBay |
3.0% |
|
Others |
~49% combined |
Source: eMarketer / Statista estimates.
By web traffic, Amazon's various country-specific domains receive over 2.8 billion visits per year. AliExpress follows at approximately 952 million annual visits, with eBay third at around 872 million.
Ecommerce Fraud Statistics
Fraud is a cost of doing business in ecommerce, and the numbers are not small. An estimated $41 billion was lost to ecommerce fraud in 2022, rising to approximately $48 billion in 2023. The average monetary loss per scam incident is around $101 up from $96 the prior year.
The market for fraud detection and prevention software was valued at over $36.7 billion in 2021, with projections placing it above $100 billion by 2027. The growth in prevention spending roughly tracks the growth in fraud itself.
What's notable here is that fraud isn't purely a consumer problem. Retailers absorb significant costs through chargebacks, lost inventory, and fraudulent returns.
As reported by CNBC, consumers lost billions to online scams in 2023 alone, with fraud disproportionately affecting those with higher digital exposure.
For buyers, maintaining a healthy gomyfinance.com credit score is one practical step to monitor and limit exposure to fraudulent charges. Teams managing high-volume ecommerce stores commonly report that fraud prevention is an ongoing operational cost, not a one-time setup.
Ecommerce Payment Statistics
Payment method preferences in ecommerce have shifted significantly toward digital wallets. As of 2025, digital/mobile wallets are the most used payment method in online retail globally.
By 2030, digital wallets are projected to account for 63% of all ecommerce transactions worldwide.
PayPal remains a widely accepted method present across merchants in over 210 countries. Cryptocurrency acceptance exists but remains marginal for mainstream ecommerce.
AI in Ecommerce
AI in ecommerce is early-stage but growing fast. Consumer awareness of generative AI tools in shopping is increasing, though actual adoption in purchasing workflows is still limited compared to awareness.
On the retailer side, investments in AI are concentrating in fraud management, personalization, and inventory forecasting. Usage of AI/ML tools in fraud management alone is becoming standard practice among mid-to-large ecommerce operators.
Conclusion
Ecommerce accounts for 16.4% of US retail sales and roughly 23.5% globally. Mobile, social, and AI-assisted shopping are the clearest growth vectors.
Fraud costs are rising alongside revenue. The data points in one direction online retail's share of total commerce will keep growing, unevenly but consistently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the size of the global ecommerce market in 2025?
Global retail ecommerce sales exceeded $3.6 trillion in 2025. This includes physical goods, digital products, and cross-border purchases across all major regions.
What percentage of US retail sales are from ecommerce?
US ecommerce accounted for 16.4% of total retail sales in 2025, up from 16.1% in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau's official quarterly report.
What is the average cart abandonment rate in ecommerce?
The average cart abandonment rate is approximately 70%. The most common reason is unexpected extra costs at checkout, cited by 47% of shoppers.
How large is mobile commerce?
Mobile commerce reached $491 billion in 2023 and is projected to represent 62% of all ecommerce sales by 2027. Smartphones are used by 91% of online shoppers.
What is social commerce's share of ecommerce?
Social commerce accounts for roughly 15% of global ecommerce. The market was valued at approximately $992 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $8.5 trillion by 2030.
