US Ecommerce Market Share (2018–2027)
Ecommerce’s share of retail sales worldwide is forecast to be 20.3% in 2024. Put simply, more than one-fifth of retail goods sold will be done online. This figure is set to continue rising over the years and hit 23% by 2027.
In the United States, not only has the number of people shopping online been rising, annual ecommerce sales are also setting new records every year, even surpassing $1.1 trillion in 2023. This raises the question: What is the US’s ecommerce penetration rate?
|
Year |
US ecommerce penetration rate |
|---|---|
|
2018 |
9.9% |
|
2019 |
11.1% |
|
2020 |
14.7% |
|
2021 |
14.7% |
|
2022 |
14.7% |
|
2023 |
15.6% |
|
2024 |
16.6% |
|
2025 |
17.8% |
|
2026 |
19.1% |
|
2027 |
20.6% |
US ecommerce market share: 2018–2024
A recent analysis of US ecommerce market share shows this figure largely has risen year after year over the past few years. In 2018, the US ecommerce penetration rate was 9.9%. In other words, less than $10 out of every $100 spent on retail goods was transacted online.
This rose by 1.2 percentage points in 2019, to 11.1%, before rising further by 3.6 percentage points in 2020, to 14.7%. The US ecommerce penetration rate held steady at 14.7% for the two subsequent years in 2021 and 2022.
In 2023, US ecommerce market share increased for the first time in three years, rising by 0.9 percentage points, to 15.6%. Industry experts are predicting an increase of one percentage point in 2024, which will take the ecommerce penetration rate to 16.6%, lower than the global average.
US ecommerce market share: 2025–2027 forecast
By analysts’ estimates, the US ecommerce penetration rate will continue to rise every year until at least 2027. In 2025, this is forecast to be 17.8%, before rising 1.3 percentage points in 2026, to 19.1%.
By 2027, more than $1 out of every $5 consumers spend on retail merchandise will be bought online. This is as the US ecommerce penetration rate hits 20.6%, surpassing 20% for the very first time.
From 2018 to 2027, the US ecommerce market share is predicted to more than double, from 9.9% to 20.6%. Online sales are also set to more than triple, from $520 billion to $1.7 trillion over the same period.
The US’s rising ecommerce penetration rate should come as no surprise, given the many advantages of online shopping.
US ecommerce penetration rates by category
|
Product category |
Ecommerce penetration rate (2024) |
|---|---|
|
Media |
79.6% |
|
Toys/hobby goods/games |
60.5% |
|
Electronics |
56.1% |
|
Office equipment and supplies |
55.8% |
|
Sporting goods |
45.7% |
|
Clothing & accessories |
41.6% |
|
Furniture & home furnishings |
36.0% |
|
Consumables |
25.4% |
|
Food & beverages |
12.4% |
|
Auto |
5.9% |
|
Garden equipment/supplies/build materials |
4.8% |
|
Other |
2.7% |
What products have the highest ecommerce penetration rates?
Recent data shows that in 2024, media-related products and video games in particular lead ecommerce penetration across categories with a rate of 79.6%. This means that more than three-quarters of such purchases in the US are made online. This reflects a steady increase from 78.2% the previous year, and analysts expect this to rise and reach 82.7% by 2027.
Following media, toys, hobbies, and games have the second-highest online penetration rate at 60.5%, marking a 1.8 percentage point increase year-over-year. Electronics and office equipment and supplies also show significant ecommerce activity, with current penetration rates at 56.1% and 55.8%, respectively. Both categories are anticipated to rise to 59.1% by 2027.
Sporting goods are next, with 45.7% of purchases made online. Other categories like clothing and accessories, furniture, consumables, food and beverage, auto, and garden equipment also demonstrate online buying trends, all expected to see growth in their online penetration rates by 2027.