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E-commerce adoption has been on a consistent rise. The COVID pandemic made buying from home irresistible, and once the habit set in, it was here to stay. Annual e-commerce spending in the US alone broke $1 trillion in 2022 and looks set to keep growing[1].

We’ve collected the latest stats on online shopping, from e-commerce market share over time to major drivers of online purchases. Let’s dive right in.

Key Findings

  • E-commerce retail sales in the US reached $1.03 trillion in 2022, accounting for 14.5% of all retail sales.
  • More than half (57.7%) of internet users aged 16 to 64 in the US shop online each week.
  • Home delivery (55%) and avoiding crowds (49%) are reported as the most common reasons Americans shop online.

E-Commerce Sales in the US

E-commerce retail sales in the US amounted to approximately $1.03 trillion in 2022, the first year when annual sales hit the $1 trillion mark. Annual e-commerce sales (in dollar value) in 2022 grew by 1.73x compared to 2019[1].

Share of E-Commerce in Retail Sales

According to estimates provided by the Census Bureau, e-commerce accounted for 14.5% of all retail sales in the US in 2022, registering a slight decrease from 14.7% (the highest reported share yet) in 2021[2].

Pre-pandemic, the share of e-commerce in overall retail sales in the US was on a consistent rise and hit 10.5% in 2019.

Note: Data adjusted for seasonal variation and converted from quarterly to annual frequency (using average as aggregation method).

How Many People Shop Online?

According to a GWI survey, 57.7% of internet users aged 16 to 64 in the US buy something online each week as of Q4 2022[3].

To put it in perspective, according to the same survey, 55.5% of global internet users shop online, with the highest e-commerce adoption rate reported in South Korea (64.7%).

Why Do People Shop Online?

According to a survey conducted among online shoppers in the US, direct home delivery (55%), avoiding crowds (49%), and convenience (48%) are cited as the most common reasons they shop online[4].

Milica Aleksandric

Milica has a cross-disciplinary background in web development, design and business management. She is a passionate advocate of financial education and literacy as life skills that help people live life by design. She believes that finance, or any topic, should be written to be engaging, easy to understand, and jargon-free. In her downtime, she enjoys hanging out with her dog, swimming, and trying new recipes.


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Reviewed by Steve Rogers