If you’re running an ecommerce business, you’ll need to be aware of these statistics to prepare your brand for 2025 and beyond.
Whether you’re an ecommerce manager or marketing executive for a fashion brand, beauty business or home decor retailer, we’re sure you’ll learn a thing or two from these insightful statistics.
1. The global ecommerce industry will be worth $4.8 trillion by 2025
By 2025, the global ecommerce industry will be worth an astonishing $4.8 trillion. Clearly, the ecommerce industry is still growing rapidly and as result, competition is increasing. Ecommerce brands must differentiate themselves with unique features, exceptional digital experiences and second to none customer service to remain viable in the coming years.
2. 70% of consumers expect personalised experiences
Consumers are increasingly craving personalised experiences, with 70% set to demand them by 2025. Buyers are increasingly expecting brands to know their buying habits, preferred products, style preferences and personalised search results within ecommerce sites. Ensure you activated smart features such as smart search, dynamic products and consider utilising AI-powered apps and features to ensure you’re meeting the increasing standards and expectations of your audience.
3. Social commerce is set to reach $13 trillion by 2033
Social commerce is set to grow to an unbelievable $13 trillion by 2033. Right now, social commerce sits at $1.2 trillion, highlighting just how important social commerce will be to ecommerce brands over the coming years. If you haven’t already implemented social commerce into your strategy, now is the time to do so. The introduction of TikTik Shop and the success of Instagram shopping should be reason enough to push your brand into taking the plunge but if not, these stats certainly will give you the incentive you need to get started!
4. Mobile commerce will account for 62% of retail sales by 2027
Mobile commerce is the leading ecommerce avenue and it is predicted to account for 62% of all retail sales by 2027. Ecommerce websites must be optimised for mobile devices with advanced, responsive design that ensures every site visitors encounters superior performance and lightning-fast loading times. Without this, you will be missing out on sales and valuable opportunities to convert. In light of this, ecommerce brands should take the time to seriously investigate how an ecommerce app could benefit and grow their business.
5. The resale market is set to reach $218 billion by 2026
Interestingly, the resale market is set to reach a staggering $218 billion by 2026. Highlighting a huge shift in consumer behaviour to focusing on second-hand, vintage and used goods. There are likely many reasons for this, the most prevalent being increased prioritisation of sustainability and increased eco-consciousness in the mainstream. Many ecommerce brands such as ASOS and Zara have launched a second-hand market within their brand ecosystem, allowing them to have control over how their products are perceived in the resale market while still showing dedication to sustainability. It’s important for brand, particularly within the fashion and homeware spaces to consider if this is a viable option.
6. Fashion remains is the largest ecommerce sector in the UK
Fashion remains the largest ecommerce sector in the UK, accounting for 28.7% of the total ecommerce industry. Clearly, this is great news if you’re a fashion brand as the industry is only growing! But naturally, with growth comes increasing competition so you’ll have to get creative and innovate with new ideas to surprise and delight your audience!
7. The UK’s ecommerce market is the third biggest in the world
That’s right! The UK is home to the third largest ecommerce market in the entire world. If you’re an ecommerce brand based in the UK, you’re in the perfect position to drive growth and expand your online business. So what are you waiting for? Get grafting and start building your ecommerce business today!
8. 80% of brands predict that wholesale revenue will increase
Another interesting statistic is that 80% of brands predict that wholesale revenue will increase. Perhaps this is an avenue that your ecommerce brand hasn’t explored or at least, hasn’t prioritised in recent years? If so, reaching out to wholesale buyers could be a great, untapped revenue stream for your business that could be worth pursuing in 2025.
9. 70% of Gen Z is willing to purchase goods directly on TikTok
TikTok Shop has fast become Gen-Z’s preferred way to shop online. Over 70% of the generation are willing (and have already) purchased goods directly form TikTok. If you haven’t set up TikTok shop, it might be worth looking into. Alternatively, hosting TikTok live streams where you display your products is another great way to reach the Gen-Z audience and directing them to your ecommerce site, if you feel more comfortable doing this at first, it can be a great way to gather research and build confidence with the app.
10. Online returns are becoming the most pressing issue for ecommerce brands
Online returns are amongst the top concern for ecommerce brands. Online returns policies should be reviewed for 2025 to ensure they are financially viable for your ecommerce business model and take sustainable practices into account. Striking the perfect balance between pleasing your customers and securing your business against a build up of online returns that are harming cash flow will be crucial to maintaining a robust ecommerce brand.
11. 91% of consumers make online purchases using their smartphone
M-commerce is fast becoming the first port-of-call for users wanting to buy something online. Considering that 91% of consumers have made an online purchase using their smartphone over the past few months, it’s clear that optimising your site for mobile users with features such as thumb-friendly navigation, optimised imagery and responsive design is paramount to success.
12. Shopify accounts for 30% of the top 1 million sites worldwide
Shopify is quickly becoming the most popular ecommerce platform across the globe. Of the top 1 million websites worldwide, 30% of them use Shopify to grow their businesses. If you haven’t taken Shopify seriously before, it’s time to start doing so!
13. The average conversion rate for home decor sites is 1.9%
The home decor industry is still thriving, post pandemic, and is seeing an average conversion rate of 1.9%. This is a good indication that the home decor market has tons of opportunities for online growth and should give interior and homeware brands the confidence they need to succeed.
14. The number of ecommerce users is expected to hit 3,701,000,000 by 2028
By 2028, the number of global ecommerce users is expected to hit a staggering 3,701.0m, highlighting the increasing ubiquity of ecommerce across the globe. This clearly indicates that there is plenty of opportunity for growth within the world of ecommerce, but also shows us that there is increasing competition. Be sure to conduct extensive competitor analysis to get your brand ahead of the competition.
15. At least 43% of all ecommerce traffic comes from Google’s organic search
This statistic is truly music to the ears of ecommerce SEO professionals across the globe! With many murmurs regarding Google’s relevance in search landscape as AI-powered search becomes increasingly popular, the knowledge that 43% of all ecommerce traffic comes from organic traffic from Google, highlights that SEO remains a powerful tool for driving ecommerce success.
16. The average cart abandonment rate for fashion sites is 70.19%
The average cart abandonment rate for fashion ecommerce is surprisingly high, sitting at over 70%. While this may sound alarming, perhaps it brings some comfort to those independent fashion brands with high abandonment rates. It seems that this is more of a consumer behaviour tactic that most fashion lovers do while on a quest to find their perfect fits and shouldn’t cause too much alarm.
17. Ecommerce email marketing has an average conversion rate of 10.3%
Email marketing is a fantastic way to nurture customers and drive sales for your brand. So much so that the average conversion rate for ecommerce emails is 10.3%. Compared to the above conversion rate statistics, it’s apparent that ecommerce newsletter should be considered a top priority by marketing managers and those running ecommerce brands.
18. Mobile wallets are the leading payment method for ecommerce
Mobile wallets such as Apple Pay are now the leading online payment method for ecommerce brands. If you haven’t already added this payment option to your ecommerce site, we highly recommend that you do, ASAP!
19. 41% of retailers aimed to improve operations using AI in 2024
AI has become increasingly intertwined with ecommerce in 2024, with 41% of retailers looking to improve operations by using AI and AI-powered software. By 2025, this figure is expected to grow to 80%, highlighting the prevalence of AI within ecommerce businesses. If you haven’t already experimented with AI and explored how it could improve operations, personalisation and reduce admin time, take this as your hint to do so.
20. Ecommerce will to continue to grow in coming years
Overall, it’s clear to see that the ecommerce industry will continue to flourish over the course of the next few years. As we venture into 2025, it’s important to audit your existing ecommerce website to ensure that UX is optimised for conversions, AI is being used where relevant and appropriate to grow your ecommerce business and that you’re utilising the commerce outlets available to you such as social and mobile commerce. If you need a helping hand getting your site prepared, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll be happy to help!
Alternatively, check out our FREE UX Audit or Replatforming Audit to help you identity missed opportunities.
