This post was originally published on March 5th, 2018 but has been updated to reflect new research and current statistics.
To stay ahead of the curve and accommodate shifting buyer preferences, selling products to consumers online is the gold standard for today’s brand manufacturers. “While this move towards direct to consumer brings an incredible opportunity for brands to increase control over their presence in the market, it also comes with a host of challenges. These hurdles require a significant investment of both time and resources – two scarcities for many of today’s busy and bootstrapped brands.”
We’re here to make the process easier – starting with industry research that you can use to inform your decision making and guide your business. These up-to-date statistics reveal trends and preferences on everything from customer experience to shipping to the marketplace as a whole. Give them a read, and put data behind your eCommerce strategy.
eCommerce Growth Statistics
- 2018 marked the highest year-over-year growth for eCommerce sales in the United States. (Internet Retailer)
- Before that 2017 marked the highest year-over-year growth for eCommerce sales in the United States. (U.S. Commerce Department)
- In 2018, eCommerce accounted for 14.3% of all retail sales and represented more than 51% of total retail sales growth. (Internet Retailer)
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- In 2017, eCommerce accounted for 13% of all retail sales and represented more than 49% of total retail sales growth. (U.S. Commerce Department)
- Experts predict that eCommerce sales will hit $4.878 trillion annually by 2021. (eMarketer)
- B2B eCommerce sales are predicted to reach over $6.6 trillion by 2020. (MarketResearch.com)
eCommerce Marketplace Statistics
- Amazon and their marketplace sellers sold $206.82 billion to U.S. consumers in 2018, a 16.3% increase year over year. (Internet Retailer)
- In 2018, Amazon spent $26 billion on shipping, over 17% of its total order value. (Market Watch)
- In 2016, Amazon spent $16.2 billion on shipping, over 17% of its total order value. (Practical eCommerce)
- Amazon accounts for 40% of online retail sales in the US, representing 43.3% of ecommerce growth in 2018 (Internet Retailer)
- 95% of shoppers research products from multiple sellers before completing a purchase. (VWO)
eCommerce Shipping and Fulfillment Statistics
- A negative shipping experience will discourage 84% of online shoppers from making a purchase in the future. (Nchannel)
- 48% of online sellers currently outsource fulfillment, and around 6% of online sellers that are currently insourcing will move to a hybrid fulfillment method within the next 3-5 years. (Zentail)
- 91% of consumers cite free shipping as the most important factor when shopping online and makes them more likely to be a repeat customer. (Retail Dive)
- 55% cite unexpected shipping charges as the number one reason to abandon an online purchase. (Annex Cloud)
eCommerce Customer Service and Experience Statistics
- 91% of online shoppers are more likely to purchase products from brands offering a personalized, connected cross-channel experience. (Accenture)
- 75% of consumers will commit to a brand due to friendly employees or customer services representatives. (Groove)
- 79% of consumers cite brands being unavailable by phone and email as the number one reason for a bad shopping experience. (Forbes)
- 97% of consumers cite online reviews as being highly influential in their purchase decisions. (Power Reviews)
- 89% of online shoppers have stopped buying from a brand altogether due to poor customer service. (Groove)
Have questions about how to best leverage these trends to optimize your brand’s eCommerce strategy? Ally Commerce is here to help. We’d love to show you what an end-to-end eCommerce solution can do to grow your brand. Get in touch today.
