As our world continues to move more and more online, e-commerce has taken on a central role in the global economy. The volume of online shoppers continues to grow, with many people making online purchases weekly, if not daily.
With online shopping becoming both the most convenient and affordable option for buyers, e-commerce is a saturated and competitive space for sellers. As you lay out your strategy for 2025, we’ve gathered the top need-to-know online shopping statistics in this evolving, fast-moving space.
E-commerce accounts for a large share of overall purchase volume, with some businesses moving 100% online and still thriving just like any other retailer. Online shopping poses a more convenient—and often more affordable—alternative to in-person shopping. Here’s how it’s impacting us.
There were more than 273.49 million online shoppers in 2024 in the United States alone—and that number is expected to rise to 288.45 million in the coming year. Although it seems that nearly everyone already shops online, there’s still room for growth—with an expected 333.5 million online shoppers by 2029, marking an increase of 21.94% in just five years.
Sellers who aren’t online risk missing out on similar revenue growth, and may experience a large decrease in sales. With many online retailers, shipping can be quick, allowing buyers to purchase from wherever they are and pick up their items right outside their door—a faster, less stressful experience than driving to a store and waiting in line.
As the number of online shoppers rises, so too does the amount of money they spend . Total e-commerce revenue in the U.S. is expected to rise from $1,222.85 billion in 2024 to $1,381.74 billion in 2025. And over the next five years, online shopping revenue is predicted to increase by more than 50%, to an astounding $1,880.68 billion by 2029.
Curious to learn more about how Prose approaches e-commerce? Check out our page about our e-commerce solutions.
Younger generations grew up with the internet—so it’s no surprise that they primarily shop online. Millennials are the age cohort most likely to shop online, with nearly a third of the generation reporting it as their primary method for purchasing goods.
What might come as a surprise is that more than one-fifth of Boomers say they primarily shop online—a large portion of a generation that didn’t see the internet or e-commerce emerge until their forties or fifties.
While everyone has their own reasons for shopping online, there are common motives that inform a buyer’s decision to forego in-person purchasing. The top reasons to shop online are free delivery (53.2%), discounts (40.6%), and customer reviews (33.2%).
The convenience of free and fast delivery, along with online-exclusive discounts and easily-accessible customer reviews, are understandable motives for shopping online. It’s also easy to see why the other factors would encourage people to choose online shopping—especially interest-free payments. Payment options like Klarna and Afterpay are becoming increasingly attractive to buyers, considering that almost half of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Smaller payments over time may still allow them to afford online purchases they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
There’s really nothing you can’t buy online these days. We’ve even found ways to purchase our groceries online, despite items like produce being perishable and difficult to transport without damage. We’re buying items to serve our every need—and want—online, with clothing, shoes, and grocery items at the top of the list.
These numbers shouldn’t shock anyone, but they should inform both buyers and sellers how to move forward in this increasingly online-driven economy. Consumers don’t need to awkwardly change in the confined space of an in-store dressing room or wait in a long line to pay for groceries on a busy shopping day. E-commerce has given consumers a better purchasing experience, and shopping is trending more and more towards online—and the numbers prove it.
To see how Prose can help your brand grow, check out our specific e-commerce solutions.