Online Shopping Statistics
Last updated 2026-06-25 · Compiled from public, third-party sources
Global retail ecommerce sales are projected to reach roughly $6.42 trillion in 2025, accounting for about 20.5% of all retail sales worldwide. With an estimated 2.77 billion online shoppers and the majority of purchases now happening on mobile devices, online shopping has cemented itself as a core part of global retail rather than a niche channel.
Key Takeaways
- Global retail ecommerce sales are forecast at about $6.42 trillion in 2025 (eMarketer).
- Ecommerce makes up roughly 20.5% of total worldwide retail sales in 2025, up from 19.9% in 2024.
- An estimated 2.77 billion people shop online worldwide in 2025.
- Mobile commerce accounts for around 57-59% of global ecommerce sales.
- The average shopping cart abandonment rate is about 70% (Baymard Institute).
The Statistics
$6.42 trillion
Projected global retail ecommerce sales in 2025, growing 6.8% year-over-year.
Source: eMarketer (2025)
20.5%
Ecommerce's share of total worldwide retail sales in 2025, up from 19.9% in 2024.
Source: eMarketer (2025)
22.6%
Forecast ecommerce share of global retail sales by 2027.
Source: eMarketer / Statista (2025)
2.77 billion
Estimated number of online shoppers worldwide in 2025, up from 2.71 billion in 2024.
Source: Statista (2025)
57-59%
Share of global ecommerce sales completed on mobile devices (m-commerce) in 2025.
Source: Statista / SellersCommerce (2025)
$316.1 billion
U.S. retail ecommerce sales in Q4 2025, seasonally adjusted.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2025)
25.0%
Ecommerce share of total U.S. retail sales in Q4 2025 (unadjusted) - the highest quarterly penetration on record.
Source: Digital Commerce 360 / U.S. Census Bureau (2025)
16.6%
Seasonally adjusted U.S. ecommerce share of total retail sales in Q4 2025.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2025)
5.3%
Year-over-year growth in U.S. Q4 2025 ecommerce sales, versus 2.7% growth in total retail.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2025)
70.19%
Global average online shopping cart abandonment rate, based on a meta-analysis of ~49 studies.
Source: Baymard Institute (2025)
80.0% vs 66.4%
Cart abandonment rate on mobile versus desktop, showing mobile shoppers abandon far more often.
Source: Baymard Institute (2025)
48%
Share of U.S. online shoppers who abandon carts due to unexpected extra costs such as shipping and taxes - the leading reason.
Source: Baymard Institute (2025)
Over 50%
China accounts for more than half of all online retail transactions, making it the world's largest ecommerce market.
Source: Expert Market Research (2025)
~976 million
Chinese consumers who purchased goods online in 2025, about 69.4% of the population.
Source: Statista (2025)
$1.6 trillion+
Estimated global social commerce market size in 2025 (estimates range ~$1.56-$1.66 trillion).
Source: Precedence Research / Mordor Intelligence (2025)
$7.38-$7.57 trillion
Projected global ecommerce sales by 2027 as growth continues at a single-digit pace.
Source: eMarketer / Statista (2025)
~$7.9-$8.1 trillion
Forecast global ecommerce sales by 2028.
Source: eMarketer / Statista (2025)
1.9-3%
Typical global average ecommerce conversion rate range in 2025, varying by methodology.
Source: Statsig / Triple Whale (2025)
Up to 6.8%
Conversion rate for top-performing categories like personal care; food and beverage averages around 4.9-5.3%.
Source: Statsig / Replo (2025)
0.7%
Conversion rate for luxury and jewelry - among the lowest categories, reflecting higher prices and longer decision times.
Source: Dynamic Yield / Replo (2025)
79%
Share of consumers who say free shipping makes them more likely to make an online purchase.
Source: Invesp / SellersCommerce (2025)
58%
Share of consumers who add more items to their cart specifically to qualify for free shipping.
Source: Invesp (2025)
280 million
Cross-border ecommerce buyers in China - the most of any single country.
Source: Statista / Capital One Shopping (2025)
$260 billion
Estimated revenue recoverable in the U.S. and EU through better checkout design and cart-abandonment prevention.
Source: Baymard Institute (2025)
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Try PixelPanda FreeFrequently Asked Questions
How big is the global ecommerce market in 2025?
Global retail ecommerce sales are projected to reach approximately $6.42 trillion in 2025, according to eMarketer, growing about 6.8% year-over-year. Estimates from other trackers range between roughly $6.4 trillion and $6.9 trillion depending on methodology.
What percentage of retail sales are online?
Ecommerce represents about 20.5% of total worldwide retail sales in 2025, up from 19.9% in 2024, per eMarketer. In the U.S., online sales reached a record 25.0% of total retail in Q4 2025 on an unadjusted basis.
How many people shop online worldwide?
An estimated 2.77 billion people shop online in 2025, according to Statista, up from about 2.71 billion in 2024 - roughly one in three people globally.
What share of online shopping happens on mobile?
Mobile commerce accounts for roughly 57-59% of global ecommerce sales in 2025, making smartphones the dominant device for online shopping, though desktop still converts at a higher rate.
What is the average shopping cart abandonment rate?
The average online shopping cart abandonment rate is about 70%, according to Baymard Institute. Mobile abandonment (around 80%) is notably higher than desktop (around 66%), and unexpected costs like shipping are the leading cause.
Which country has the largest ecommerce market?
China is the world's largest ecommerce market, accounting for more than half of all online retail transactions globally, with roughly 976 million online shoppers in 2025.
How can sellers improve online product content and conversions?
Clear, high-quality product imagery and consistent visuals help reduce hesitation and abandonment, since unexpected costs and weak product presentation drive shoppers away. Tools like PixelPanda help online sellers produce professional product photos and marketing visuals at scale to support better listings.