The 2023 eCommerce Statistics Roundup

Get ready for the new year of sales with eCommerce Statistics 2023. The online retail industry has adapted and grown both in sales and revenue, rushing through the global move toward digitization, new operational technologies, and digital commerce strategies.

Explore the global stats, facts, and numbers with Printify – follow as we all collectively continue to shape the world and foster a diverse and competitive online landscape.

Ecommerce Statistics 1

Chapter 1

The State of eCommerce in 2023

Customer browsing an online store catalog from a laptop while sitting in the comfort of their home.

Worldwide eCommerce sales continue to grow and won’t stop any time soon. With more people choosing to shop online, revenue has reached new heights despite the global rising costs of living and more price-conscious consumers.

The modern digital boom has created a demand for new innovations in eCommerce. In 2023, more businesses have prioritized moving their sales online, connecting with customers directly, automating the sales cycle, and increasing personalization.

Global eCommerce Statistics

The global community response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw increased growth in eCommerce. While this was initially a way to combat stay-at-home orders, it’s now a deliberate strategy to increase the value and convenience of safe online purchases.

eCommerce Statistics in the US

The United States eCommerce market comprises a large portion of global eCommerce revenue, in no small part due to eCommerce giants like Amazon. An increasing number of online users have adapted to eCommerce from brick-and-mortar location shopping.

Chapter 2

B2B and B2C Sectors

Two eCommerce business representatives sharing a positive meeting with a client in an office setting.

In 2023, business-to-business eCommerce has increased in value and provides various new opportunities for integrated sales platforms and marketing channels.

The business-to-consumer sector prioritizes the customer shopping experience with more focus on social commerce and a wider range of eCommerce marketplaces.

B2B eCommerce Statistics

The business-to-business market is one of the largest sources of online revenue globally. The Asia Pacific region holds up the worldwide eCommerce industry with leading companies from the Alibaba Group, followed by North America and Europe.

B2C eCommerce Statistics

The business-to-consumer sector has increased its share globally, prioritizing tailored personalization, a focus on quality customer support, and online marketing automation. Expect more regions to grow their B2C eCommerce capabilities in the coming years.

Chapter 3

Shopping Cart Abandonment Stats

Customer considering a purchase on their smartphone while browsing through a fashion store page.

eCommerce businesses lose billions in revenue each year due to abandoned shopping carts. Reducing cart abandonment by optimizing website load speeds and simplifying checkout are great ways to increase online shopping orders on retail websites in 2024.

Chapter 4

Shopper Behavior Statistics

Customer enjoying the convenience of mobile shopping in the comfort of their home.

Customers value convenience above all else when shopping online, both on their social media platforms and online marketplaces. Online shopper statistics help show where customers find new products to buy and what influences online purchase decisions.

Chapter 5

Mobile Commerce Statistics

Customer finalizing a purchase on their smartphone by filling out their credit card information.

The fastest eCommerce growth rate and global eCommerce sales increase wouldn’t exist without mobile sites and mobile optimization. With a total of 4.32 billion mobile internet users, the vast majority of all internet traffic is accessed via mobile devices.

Chapter 6

Social Commerce Statistics

Row of side-by-side online users positively interacting with their social media mobile apps.

Social media platforms are one of the most significant drivers for retail eCommerce sales, especially for mobile shopping. Expect more sales and marketing efforts from integrated sales channels like Meta for Business, Pinterest, TikTok Shop, and others.

Chapter 7

Email Marketing Statistics

Email marketing manager checking out their inbox from a smartphone synched to their desktop account.

Despite the influence of mobile devices and social media for delegating and advertising products, email marketing is still a significant tool for increasing sales and promoting customer retention. In 2024, automation will help improve email marketing even further.

Chapter 8

2023 eCommerce Trends

Customer browsing an eCommerce shop from their laptop while sitting at a home desk space.

eCommerce statistics can help businesses decide how to respond to the global market, but it’s important to analyze specific eCommerce sales and marketing strategies. Let’s see what drives online shopping consumer behavior in the modern eCommerce space.

Here are some digital commerce facts, interesting eCommerce statistics, and growing trends from 2023 that you should consider adopting for your online store or business to enable higher online retail sales or optimized services online.

Personalization Continues to Drive Customer Engagement

Contemporary online shoppers are warming up to the idea that digital data sharing is a necessary step to match their interests more closely with what they’re browsing.

82%

of people are willing to share some type of personal data for a better user experience.

71%

of consumers expect some amount of tailoring from online retailers.

Practice a more individualized approach on a per-user basis.

Tailored messaging, navigation, targeted promotions, recommendations for related products, and post-purchase communication are driving personalization purchasing influences.

Social Commerce Enables Better Omnichannel Strategies

Making online purchases by selling through social media platforms is an excellent way to increase product discoverability and influence user engagement. Consider social commerce as an extension of influencer marketing, combining recommendations with direct checkout.

Merchandise catalog with a checklist for products to sell on social commerce platforms.
Checklist of popular eCommerce sales channels, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix.

When targeting the younger demographic, you absolutely need social commerce.

Social commerce in the US is already preferred above eCommerce sales channels by 22% of customers. Top eCommerce platforms already provide seamless integrations with social media, like Shopify, or livestreaming opportunities, like eStreamly.

The top social media platforms with social commerce features include:

  • Instagram Shop
  • Facebook Shop
  • YouTube Shopping
  • Pinterest Merchant Program
  • Snapchat Store
  • TikTok Shop
List of social media platforms with social commerce features, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Stylized graphic of an eCommerce store catalog compatible with a mobile display.

Consumers Rely on Mobile eCommerce Capabilities

Mobile purchases have increased in their share of all eCommerce sales and won’t stop anytime soon. As a larger number of Gen Z’ers and Millennials hold more purchasing power, the number of digital wallets is expected to rise rapidly to 5.4 billion by 2028.

Mobile commerce accelerates the need for easy navigation and visual browsing.

Users often begin product research on mobile websites but end up finalizing checkout on a desktop. Prioritize intuitive mobile navigation by providing a checkout save feature, navigational links or buttons, above-the-fold search bars, and pinch-to-zoom images.

Infographic of a well-optimized mobile store page with easy search navigation, checkout save feature, and navigational links.

Marketing Automation Shifts to Generative AI Tools

With AI text tools like ChatGPT, image generators like Midjourney, and proprietary chatbots, the process of generating ideas and marketing copies has never been faster. Indeed, 90% of marketers who use AI find it highly effective for content creation.

Graphic of an AI t-shirt design tool with a selection of generated images from the prompt “Dog surfing the waves”.

Some of the software capabilities AI tools perform best are:

Generative AI is certainly multifaceted, with almost 60% of marketers using AI for product recommendations, 55% adopting AI eCommerce assistants, 52% constructing virtual models for product pages, and 51% creating AI personalized product bundles.

Positive Social Causes Reflect Sales Increases

Responsible consumerism and ethical consumption are priority concerns for many internet users. These are some of the only causes consumers accept against their own immediate benefit, with 80% willing to pay 5% more for eco-conscious production.

Stylized graphic of an eCommerce store page catalog promoting positive social causes.
Collage of store products promoting sustainability, eco-conscious production, and positive social causes.

Sustainable fashion, eco-friendly packaging, and social causes take priority.

Customers engage with brands that align with public social stances and take a stand on public issues. As retailers continue driving engagement, they must also accept that customers want corporate social responsibility over ambiguous mission statements.

Subscription Models Enable Long-Term Customer Retention

Subscription-based eCommerce models and auto-renewal services have garnered a positive reception among consumers. The subscription eCommerce market size reached $120.02 billion in 2022 and is set to grow to $904.28 billion by 2026.

At a 64.64% CAGR, subscription eCommerce models have the fastest growth rate out of any eCommerce industry sector, providing steady revenue for online retailers.

Some of the most popular subscription-based industries are:

Chapter 9

Holiday Statistics

Seasonal holidays have consistently increased eCommerce sales worldwide, especially in the fourth quarter from Thanksgiving to Christmas. 57% of US consumers planned to do holiday shopping online, maintaining pace during the last two years.

11.3%

growth increase in 2023 from only 6% in 2022.

Mother’s and Father’s Day Statistics

Giving back to parents is a time-honored tradition and continues to show an increase in popularity with record-breaking global retail eCommerce sales. Breaking the hearts of every dad, Mother’s Day is celebrated by 88% of consumers compared to their 79%.

Regardless, both days resulted in a fair share of parental holiday spending, totaling $35.7 billion for Mother’s Day and $22.9 billion for Father’s Day in 2023. These times of year are especially important for online traffic involving men’s or women’s gift ideas.

4th of July Statistics

The all-American holiday is as strong as ever. With 87% of all citizens celebrating US Independence Day in 2023 – a 3% increase from the previous year – the total 4th of July spending grew by 23% to a daring $9.5 billion in 2023.

Still, don’t let the numbers confuse you. Americans and almost all consumers globally are more concerned about cost-saving due to the history of the 2020 pandemic, disruptions, and supply chain risks. Keep that in mind when adding prices and discounts.

Partygoers celebrating the 4th of July while participating in an outside banquet themed in American flag colors.
Man posing in a carved Halloween pumpkin head that billows smoke out of its menacing face.

Halloween Statistics

While key eCommerce industry statistics will inevitably center around the fall and year-end shopping season, there are multiple notable holidays that maintain consistent traffic and provide online business opportunities for brand advertising and sales deals.

In 2022, Halloween participation returned to pre-pandemic levels and is back on the rise. Total expected Halloween spending for 2023 has reached a record of $12.2 billion (one-third from costumes). Online purchases account for 32% of costume sales. 

With 37% of people looking for Halloween inspiration online, this is the perfect holiday for content marketing, leveraging new costume trends and ideas to drive traffic from online shoppers via blogs, articles, multimedia, themed store pages, and more.

Cyber Monday and Black Friday eCommerce Stats

131 million US consumers plan to shop on Black Friday, with 11% of those participating having already bought from Black Friday deals at the start of November. Online stores should prepare their marketing strategy early to capture all digital buyers.

However, notably, the biggest eCommerce day is Cyber Monday, with $12.4 billion in total retail sales in 2023, reaching a 9.6% year-over-year increase. Culminating the end of holiday deals, customers expect the lowest possible discounts.

$12.4 bn

in total retail sales in 2023

Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales banners in a red, purple, and neon themed collage.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday eCommerce statistics insights by the numbers:

Christmas eCommerce Statistics

With 63% of people opting for online-only channels for Christmas holiday gift shopping, online shopping rates on eCommerce sites are slightly higher but still relatively on par with mass merchant and other brick-and-mortar store traffic.

As inflation rates continue to rise, customers are more price-conscious about spending habits than in previous years. The average amount that individual shoppers planned to spend for the holidays in 2023 is roughly $920, a slight decrease from $932 in 2022.

Group of friends gathered outside holding a Christmas tradition by lighting sparklers and enjoying a hot drink.

$966 bn

in 2023

Christmas online commerce statistics, trends, and insights for 2023:

Chapter 10

Print on Demand in 2023

From the increasing success of eCommerce in 2023, print-on-demand allows online shoppers to carve out their own online store in the global eCommerce market without struggling with large investments, inventory constraints, and product supply logistics.

Print-on-demand merchant overviewing their designs, revenue, and store metrics while working on a laptop.

State of POD

In 2023, print-on-demand software and service revenue reached a compound annual growth rate of 26.3%. Market value is expected to quintuple from $7.67 billion in 2023 to $38.21 billion by 2030, leading the online custom product segment worldwide.

The same report finds that in terms of market penetration, the largest POD region is in North America, while the fastest growth is expected from countries in Asia Pacific.

One of the main drivers of why more eCommerce business owners choose print-on-demand is the growing request for personalization. Another influence is sustainable production since the print-on-demand process limits large-batch manufacturing.

Print-on-demand eCommerce statistics, trends, and figures:

Chapter 11

The Best-Selling Printify Products (September 2023)

According to internal Printify sales data up to September 2023, here are the bestselling products currently offered and sold by print-on-demand retailers worldwide. The top selling product category is t-shirts at 52.38% order quantity, consistent year-over-year.

Product Name

% Of Item Quantity (Sold)

Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee

19.22%

Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

18.69%

Unisex Heavy Blend Crewneck Sweatshirt

9.65%

Unisex Garment-Dyed T-Shirt

5.62%

Unisex Soft-Style T-Shirt

4.79%

Unisex Heavy Blend Hooded Sweatshirt

2.87%

Kiss-Cut Stickers

2.35%

Unisex Ultra Cotton Tee

1.36%

Ceramic Mug 11oz

1.27%

Matte Vertical Posters

1.16%

Kids Heavy Cotton Tee

1.07%

Kiss-Cut Vinyl Decals

0.97%

Scented Soy Candle 9oz

0.96%

Youth Short Sleeve Tee

0.83%

Cotton Canvas Tote Bag

0.65%

Accented Coffee Mug 11oz

0.61%