According to Digital Commerce 360, which analyzed data from the US Department of Commerce, e-commerce in the US accounted for 22.0% of total retail sales in 2023. In contrast, the penetration rate in 2022 is 21.2%.
22.0% in 2023 was the highest ever U.S. e-commerce sales penetration rate, according to Digital Commerce 360, which analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The department's e-commerce data dates back to 2000.
According to Digital Commerce 360 analysis, U.S. e-commerce has grown by at least 0.2 percentage points year-over-year since 2000. The slowest growth was from 2007 to 2008 (5.1% to 5.3% penetration) and 2021 to 2022 (21.0% to 21.2% penetration).
At the same time, U.S. e-commerce grew by 7.6% in 2023, with total sales increasing by 3.8%. This is in sharp contrast to the pandemic-induced U.S. e-commerce boom, where total retail sales rose 7.8% in 2020, compared to 2019. Increased by 42.8%.
Editor's note: A previous version of this chart was updated to reflect a 22.0% U.S. e-commerce penetration rate in 2023.
How much have U.S. e-commerce sales grown?
U.S. e-commerce sales increased from $1.4 trillion in 2022 to approximately $1.119 trillion in 2023 (7.6% growth). Meanwhile, total retail sales increased from approximately $4,904 billion (3.8%) in 2022 to approximately $5,880 billion in 2023.
U.S. e-commerce has also grown quarterly going back to Q2 2009, which was down 3.9% compared to Q2 2008. Similarly, total U.S. retail sales have increased every quarter dating back to 2009, according to Digital Commerce 360 analysis of commercial sector data. . Total retail sales decreased in each quarter of the year, as well as in the fourth quarter of 2008, due to the effects of the Great Recession.
Outside of the Great Recession, total U.S. retail sales have not declined since at least 1993, to the extent that Digital Commerce 360 analysis is available.
“E-commerce growth continued to slow this year due to the overall economic slowdown, but it accounted for nearly half of all domestic retail growth,” said James Risley, research data manager and senior analyst at Digital Commerce 360. “This is back in the previous year.” “Pandemic-level contributions compared to much lower contributions in 2021 and 2022. Overall, the e-commerce landscape is returning to a pre-coronavirus understanding of retail.”
How is e-commerce penetration calculated?
According to the Department of Commerce, U.S. e-commerce sales accounted for 15.4% of total sales in 2023 and 14.7% of total sales in 2022.
Digital Commerce 360 examines commerce sector data that is not seasonally adjusted and excludes spend from segments that typically do not sell online. These segments include:
- restaurant
- bar
- car dealer
- gas station
- fuel distributor
U.S. e-commerce penetration reflects the percentage of money consumers are likely to spend online.
The Department of Commerce defines e-commerce sales as sales of goods and services that are ordered by a purchaser or for which prices and terms of sale are negotiated.
- internet
- extranet
- Electronic data interchange (EDI) network
- Other online systems
Payments may or may not be made online. The Commerce Department publishes estimates that adjust for seasonal fluctuations and differences between holidays and business days, but does not publish price changes.
Due to rounding, percentage changes may not correspond exactly to dollar numbers. Here is last year's update.
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