E-commerce Statistics Shaping How Brands Sell Online in 2026 

E-commerce continues to reshape how people discover, compare, and purchase products. As digital shopping habits evolve, brands are facing new expectations around speed, personalization, and accessibility across devices and platforms. Understanding current e-commerce statistics is not just helpful for keeping up with trends. It is essential for making informed decisions about website design, marketing strategy, and long-term growth. 

For businesses planning to build or improve an online store, these e-commerce stats provide insight into where the market is heading and how consumers actually behave online. They also highlight why a strong e-commerce foundation matters more than ever. 

If your business is evaluating its online storefront or preparing for growth, our e-commerce website development services can help create a site built for today’s shoppers and tomorrow’s expectations. 

Top E-commerce Statistics to Know for 2026

Online shopping has become a daily habit for billions of people worldwide. As of 2025, approximately 2.77 billion people shop online, showing just how deeply e-commerce is embedded in everyday life. That scale translates directly into revenue. Global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $6.42 trillion in 2025, with projections pointing to nearly $8 trillion by 2027. 

Social platforms are playing an increasingly large role in that growth. Social commerce sales are expected to reach $1.17 trillion in 2025, reflecting how seamlessly shopping is blending into social media experiences. Mobile usage continues to drive purchasing behavior as well. Mobile commerce is projected to account for 59 percent of all online retail sales in 2025, reinforcing the need for mobile-friendly design and checkout experiences. 

Marketplace dominance also shapes the competitive landscape. Amazon represented 37 percent of all U.S. online sales in 2024, illustrating how difficult it can be for smaller brands to compete without a clear strategy and strong direct-to-consumer presence. At the same time, the barrier to entry remains relatively low. There are an estimated 12 to 24 million online stores worldwide, meaning competition is broad, fragmented, and increasingly crowded. 

Consumer behavior offers additional insight. Women make an average of seven online purchases per year, contributing significantly to overall transaction volume and influencing how brands approach messaging, usability, and trust signals. Taken together, these e-commerce statistics show both the scale of opportunity and the level of competition brands face heading into 2026. 

Global E-commerce Statistics and Market Trends 

E-commerce growth is not evenly distributed across the globe, but several regions consistently lead the way. Asia Pacific, North America, and Western Europe remain the three largest e-commerce markets worldwide. Within that group, China continues to hold the top position as the world’s largest e-commerce market, driven by massive population size and widespread mobile adoption.

Looking ahead, global e-commerce growth is expected to reach $7.89 trillion by 2028, signaling continued momentum even as markets mature. By 2027, online sales are projected to account for roughly 25 percent of all global retail, further blurring the line between online and offline shopping.  

Demographics play a key role in shaping these trends. In the United States, the most active e-commerce shoppers are between the ages of 18 and 24, a group that has grown up with digital shopping as the norm. This younger audience places high expectations on usability, speed, and brand transparency. 

Infrastructure growth mirrors consumer demand. There are now more than 28 million e-commerce sites globally, highlighting how widespread online selling has become. These e-commerce stats emphasize why standing out requires more than simply launching a store. It requires thoughtful design, clear messaging, and a strategy grounded in how people actually shop. 

Online Shopping Statistics That Reveal Consumer Behavior 

While overall sales numbers show growth, shopping behavior data explains where many brands struggle. The average shopping cart abandonment rate currently sits at 70.22 percent, meaning most shoppers leave before completing a purchase. One of the biggest drivers behind that behavior is cost. Around 90 percent of shoppers abandon their carts due to high shipping fees.

What motivates shoppers to move forward is equally important. Free delivery influences 50.5 percent of purchasing decisions, followed by coupons and discounts at 39.1 percent, and customer reviews at 32.1 percent. Reviews, in particular, play a major role in trust. Nearly 99 percent of shoppers read product reviews before making a major purchase. 

Buying frequency continues to rise. About 34 percent of shoppers make online purchases at least once per week, while 85.6 percent shop online at least once per month. Research is a consistent part of the process, with 81 percent of online shoppers researching products before buying. Millennials and Gen Z shoppers drive half of all online purchases, shaping expectations around personalization and convenience. 

Convenience remains a defining factor. More than seven in ten U.S. adults say home delivery, free shipping, and in-stock availability are essential parts of a positive online shopping experience. Live commerce is also gaining traction, with 40 percent of U.S. shoppers having made purchases through live shopping formats. 

Personalization influences impulse behavior as well. Nearly 49 percent of shoppers say they have made unplanned purchases because of personalized experiences. Payment flexibility is another factor, with U.S. buyers increasingly using buy now, pay later options during checkout. Cross-border shopping continues to grow, too, as 52 percent of global shoppers purchase from international retailers. 

Even the checkout structure matters. The average checkout process includes just over five steps, and complexity at this stage often leads to lost conversions. More than 60 percent of shoppers prefer mobile-friendly sites, reinforcing the need for streamlined, responsive design. 

These e-commerce statistics point to a clear takeaway. Every part of the shopping journey matters, from product discovery to final checkout.

Grow Your Ready to Improve the Online Shopping Experience?

If your e-commerce site struggles with conversions, cart abandonment, or mobile usability, The frank Agency can help you create a thoughtful website strategy to reduce friction and support long-term growth. 

Mobile Commerce Statistics Driving Online Sales 

Mobile shopping is no longer secondary to desktop. Mobile commerce is expected to account for 59 percent of total online retail sales, with mobile e-commerce representing 44.2 percent of all e-commerce sales in the United States alone. Consumer preferences explain why. Three out of four shoppers make purchases on their smartphones, and 70 percent of mobile shoppers prefer using apps rather than mobile websites. Mobile devices are projected to exceed 60 percent of all online web traffic in 2025 and already generate 78 percent of retail website traffic. 

Despite heavy usage, mobile conversion remains a challenge. Mobile shopping carts experience an abandonment rate of 85.65 percent, often due to slow load times, difficult navigation, or overly complex checkout flows. 

These e-commerce statistics reinforce how important mobile-first design has become. Businesses that fail to optimize for mobile risk losing customers before they ever reach checkout. 

Social Commerce Statistics and Platform-Driven Sales

Social media continues to blur the line between browsing and buying. Social commerce is expected to reach $2.9 trillion by 2026, driven by platforms that integrate shopping directly into the user experience. Facebook and Instagram remain the most popular platforms for social commerce, with Instagram playing a particularly strong role. 

Approximately 1.4 billion people use Instagram to shop online, and 44 percent of Instagram users make purchases on the platform every week. Stores with an active social media presence see an average of 32 percent higher sales, showing how discovery and engagement directly affect revenue. 

Order values also reflect the impact of social referrals. Customers who reach an online store through Instagram have an average order value of $65. Product categories vary by audience, with 19 percent of shoppers frequently purchasing health and wellness products through social platforms. 

Millennials are especially influential in this space, accounting for 33 percent of all social commerce spending. These e-commerce stats highlight how social platforms are no longer just awareness tools. They are direct sales channels that require thoughtful SEO and content strategies. 

For brands looking to strengthen visibility across social platforms and search, our e-commerce SEO services help align content, product pages, and discovery with how people shop today. 

Looking Ahead: What These E-commerce Statistics Mean for 2026 

These e-commerce statistics offer a clear look at how online retail continues to evolve. Growth is continuing, competition is increasing, and consumer expectations are rising across every touchpoint. Shoppers want convenience, clarity, and consistency whether they are browsing on a phone, purchasing through social media, or comparing options across multiple sites. 

For businesses, the real challenge goes beyond keeping pace with the numbers and lies in turning these e-commerce stats into smarter design decisions, clearer messaging, and digital strategies that support long-term growth. A successful e-commerce presence is not just about having a functional store, but about creating an experience that reflects how people actually browse, evaluate, and buy online. 

At The frank Agency, we help businesses turn data into direction by building e-commerce websites and strategies that support real growth. If you are planning your next phase online, we are here to help make sense of the numbers and put them to work for your brand.