Online Shopping Statistics 2026
This page brings together 52 figures on online shopping: how many people buy online and how often, how much of retail has moved online in different countries, which devices and payment methods shoppers use, what they expect from delivery and returns, and how common buy now, pay later has become. It covers the United States, the European Union, Great Britain, Canada, China, Japan, Australia and global estimates, mostly for 2025 and 2026. Sources are national statistics offices (Eurostat, the U.S. Census Bureau, the ONS, Statistics Canada, China's National Bureau of Statistics, Japan's METI), the Federal Reserve Board, Pew Research Center, trade bodies and companies that publish their own data or surveys.
By the Comredix review desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 52 numbers drawn from 18 publishers and reports
57 of 57 quotes matched to the publisher's page by our checker on November 13, 2026
Short answer
78% of EU internet users bought something online in 2025 (Eurostat), and e-commerce made up 17.1% of U.S. retail sales in Q2 2026 (Census Bureau) and 28.8% in Great Britain in August 2026 (ONS). Phones carried 56.4% of U.S. holiday online spending in 2025 (Adobe), NRF expects 19.3% of online sales to be returned, and 16% of U.S. adults used buy now, pay later in 2025 (Federal Reserve).
Headline numbers
- 78%78% of EU internet users aged 16 to 74 bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025, while 95% used the internet at all, according to Eurostat.Eurostat
- 17.1%E-commerce made up 17.1% of total U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted.U.S. Census Bureau
- 28.8%28.8% of retail sales in Great Britain were made online in August 2026, up from 28.4% in July, according to the ONS.Office for National Statistics
- 56.4%56.4% of U.S. online holiday transactions in 2025 were made on a smartphone, up from 54.5% in 2024, with a peak of 66.5% on Christmas Day.Adobe
- 76%Free shipping is the top factor in U.S. online purchase decisions year-round, named by 76% of shoppers in Ryder's 2025 study.Ryder System
- 19.3%An estimated 19.3% of U.S. online sales were expected to be returned in 2025.National Retail Federation
- 56%Digital wallets accounted for 56% of global e-commerce spending and 33% of in-person spending in 2025, according to Worldpay's Global Payments Report 2026.Worldpay
- 16%16% of U.S. adults used buy now, pay later in 2025, up 1 percentage point, according to the Federal Reserve's household survey.Federal Reserve Board
Reading the numbers
Online shopping has reached most internet users in rich economies. Eurostat counts 78% of EU internet users aged 16 to 74 buying online in 2025, up from 62% in 2015, and 62% of online shoppers had bought in the previous three months. The gaps that remain are by age and circumstance: 90% of 25 to 34 year olds buy online against 55% of people aged 65 to 74, and pensioners trail employees by 25 points.
The share of retail that runs online differs sharply by country. The ONS puts Great Britain at 28.8% in August 2026 and China's National Bureau of Statistics puts online physical goods at 26.1% of retail sales in 2025. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 17.1% for the second quarter of 2026, with online sales growing almost twice as fast as total retail, while Statistics Canada reports 7.6%. Definitions differ, so these are best read as national trends rather than a strict ranking.
Phones and wallets now shape how people buy. Adobe finds 56.4% of U.S. holiday online spending in 2025 happened on smartphones, and Worldpay reports digital wallets carried 56% of global e-commerce value in 2025. In the U.S., cards still lead overall payments: Federal Reserve data reported by Pew show credit cards at 34% and debit cards at 31% of payments in 2025. Buy now, pay later is growing but remains a minority habit, used by 16% of U.S. adults according to the Federal Reserve, with Adobe tracking $20 billion of holiday spending through it.
Shoppers care more about cost and reliability than raw speed. Ryder finds 76% of U.S. shoppers name free shipping as their top purchase factor, while only 15% put two-day delivery first, and DHL reports 81% of shoppers will abandon a purchase when their preferred delivery option is missing. Returns are a large cost, with NRF expecting 19.3% of U.S. online sales to come back in 2025, and slow delivery is the most common problem EU shoppers report.
How many people shop online
- 1.
78% of EU internet users aged 16 to 74 bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025, while 95% used the internet at all, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, while 95% of EU citizens aged between 16-74 years used the internet in the last 12 months prior to the survey, 78% bought or ordered goods or services online.
- 2.
The share of EU internet users who shop online rose from 62% in 2015 to 78% in 2025, a gain of 16 percentage points in ten years.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
This share grew to 78% in 2025, an increase of 16 pp in 10 years.
- 3.
15% of EU internet users had never bought or ordered goods or services online as of 2025.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In the EU, 15% of internet users never bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025.
- 4.
People aged 25 to 34 are the most likely online shoppers in the EU: 90% of internet users in that group bought online in 2025.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The share of online buyers was the highest among the age group 25-34 years with 90% in 2025, 12 pp over the EU average.
- 5.
Only 55% of EU internet users aged 65 to 74 bought online in 2025, against 69% of those aged 55 to 64.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
With 69% and 55% the shares, the age groups 55-64 years and 65-74 years respectively, were below the EU average in 2025.
- 6.
85% of employees in the EU bought online in 2025, compared with 60% of pensioners.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
While only 60% of the pensioners bought or ordered goods or services online in 2025, the proportion reached 85% for the group of 'employees', a difference of 25 pp.
- 7.
Among EU internet users with no or low formal education, 59% bought online in 2025, against more than 89% of those with high formal education.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
As regards the level of education, the share of the individuals having bought or ordered goods or services online with no or low formal education background was 59% in 2025 compared with 77% for those with medium formal education and more than 89% for those with high formal education.
- 8.
7.2 million Australian households shopped at online marketplaces in 2025, 73% of all households that shopped online, according to Australia Post.
Australia Post, Australia Post eCommerce Report 2026: Online marketplaces (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
7.2m households shopped at online marketplaces in 2025, representing 73% of all households that shopped online
Chart
EU internet users who bought online in 2025, by age group
Share of internet users aged 16 to 74 who bought or ordered goods or services online in the previous 12 months, EU, 2025. The 25 to 34 figure (90%) is from the same Eurostat article.
- 16 to 2484%
- 25 to 3490%
- 35 to 4487%
- 45 to 5480%
- 55 to 6469%
- 65 to 7455%
Source: Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals
How often and where people buy
- 9.
62% of EU online shoppers made their most recent online purchase within the three months before the 2025 survey, 11% between three and twelve months before, and 6% more than a year before.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among the individuals who made online purchases in 2025, 62% bought or ordered goods or services within the last 3 months before the survey, 11% between 3 and 12 months while 6% made a purchase more than a year ago.
- 10.
Among EU online shoppers in 2025, 34% bought one or two times and 33% bought three to five times in the reference period.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The frequency of purchases was almost similar in the EU among individuals who bought or ordered goods or services 1 or 2 times (34%) and those who bought or ordered 3 to 5 times (33%).
- 11.
For the 2025 holiday season, 74% of U.S. shoppers surveyed by Ryder planned to shop in stores, 73% on e-commerce marketplaces and 70% on store or brand websites.
Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
For the 2025 holiday season, 74% plan to shop in-store, 73% on e-commerce marketplaces, 70% on store/brand websites, 50% via store/brand mobile apps, and 23% on social media marketplaces.
- 12.
45% of U.S. shoppers in Ryder's survey said they shopped more online during the 2024 holiday season than in 2023, while 25% said they shopped less online.
Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
While 45% reported shopping more online during the 2024 holiday season compared to 2023, 25% reported the opposite.
- 13.
70% of consumers in DHL's 24,000-person, 24-market survey expect to shop mainly through social media by 2030.
DHL Group, DHL E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Social commerce takes center stage: 70% of global consumers expect to shop primarily through social media by 2030 - bypassing traditional websites entirely
- 14.
Affirm counted 27.8 million active consumers as of June 30, 2026, up 21%, and each made an average of 7.0 transactions over the prior twelve months.
Affirm, Affirm FQ4'26 Shareholder Letter (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Active consumers increased 21% to 27.8 million as of June 30, 2026, while transactions per active consumer increased 20% to 7.0 over the trailing twelve month period ending June 30, 2026.
Online share of retail sales by country
- 15.
U.S. retail e-commerce sales were $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted, according to the Census Bureau.
U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2026, adjusted for seasonal variation, but not for price changes, was $340.2 billion, an increase of 3.8 percent (±0.4 percent) from the first quarter of 2026.
- 16.
E-commerce made up 17.1% of total U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, seasonally adjusted.
U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
E-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2026 accounted for 17.1 percent of total sales.
- 17.
U.S. e-commerce sales grew 12.2% from the second quarter of 2025 to the second quarter of 2026, while total retail sales grew 6.7%.
U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The second quarter 2026 e-commerce estimate increased 12.2 percent (±0.9 percent) from the second quarter of 2025 while total retail sales increased 6.7 percent (±0.5 percent) in the same period.
- 18.
28.8% of retail sales in Great Britain were made online in August 2026, up from 28.4% in July, according to the ONS.
Office for National Statistics, Retail sales, Great Britain: August 2026 (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
As a result, the proportion of sales made online rose from 28.4% in July 2026 to 28.8% in August 2026.
- 19.
Online sales values in Great Britain were 8.9% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025, not seasonally adjusted.
Office for National Statistics, Retail sales, Great Britain: August 2026 (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
online sales values rose by 2.5% over the month to August 2026, up from a fall of 4.2% in July, and were 8.9% higher compared with August 2025.
- 20.
Retail e-commerce accounted for 7.6% of total retail trade in Canada in August 2026, with sales of $5.6 billion, seasonally adjusted.
Statistics Canada, The Daily: Retail trade, August 2026 (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales increased 1.1% to $5.6 billion in August, accounting for 7.6% of total retail trade.
- 21.
Online sales of physical goods in China reached 13,092.3 billion yuan in 2025, 26.1% of total retail sales of consumer goods.
National Bureau of Statistics of China, National Economy Maintained Stable Growth in 2025 (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Specifically, the online retail sales of physical goods were 13,092.3 billion yuan, up by 5.2 percent, accounting for 26.1 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods.
- 22.
Japan's business-to-consumer e-commerce market reached 26.1 trillion yen in 2024, up 5.1%, according to METI.
Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Results of the FY2024 E-Commerce Market Survey (Aug 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2024, the scale of the domestic B-to-C EC market increased to 26.1 trillion yen (up by 5.1% from 24.8 trillion yen in the previous year, and 22.7 trillion yen in the year before).
- 23.
Australians spent nearly A$18.9 billion on pure online marketplaces such as Amazon and Temu in 2025, up 13%.
Australia Post, Australia Post eCommerce Report 2026: Online marketplaces (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Australians spent nearly $18.9 billion (+13% YoY) on pure online marketplace platforms in 2025.
Phones, holiday peaks and new ways to shop
- 24.
U.S. consumers spent a record $257.8 billion online from November 1 to December 31, 2025, up 6.8%, according to Adobe Analytics.
Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Consumers spent $257.8 billion online from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, up 6.8% year-over-year (YoY) and setting a new record for e-commerce.
- 25.
56.4% of U.S. online holiday transactions in 2025 were made on a smartphone, up from 54.5% in 2024, with a peak of 66.5% on Christmas Day.
Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Mobile shopping hit a new milestone, with the majority of online transactions (56.4%) taking place through a smartphone this season (up from 54.5% in 2024); Mobile shopping was highest on Christmas Day (Dec. 25), driving 66.5% of online sales (vs. 65% in 2024), followed by Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) at 61.6% mobile share (vs. 59.3% in 2024).
- 26.
Only 38.8% of U.S. holiday returns in 2025 were made on a mobile device, even though mobile drove 56.4% of online spending.
Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
This season, 38.8% of returns happened on a mobile device (vs. desktop), while 56.4% of overall online spend was driven by mobile.
- 27.
U.S. Cyber Week 2025, the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday, brought in $44.2 billion online, up 7.7%.
Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Record online spending this season was bolstered by a strong Cyber Week (the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday), which brought in $44.2 billion online overall, up 7.7% YoY.
- 28.
Smartphones accounted for 57% of global e-commerce spending in 2024, up from 19% in 2014, according to Worldpay.
Worldpay, 10 Years of Cash, Cards and Crypto: Worldpay's Global Payments Report Tracks a Decade of Transformation (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Smartphone’s share of global e-commerce spend tripled over the past decade increasing from 19% in 2014 to 57% in 2024.
- 29.
Global e-commerce spending grew from $1.2 trillion in 2014 to more than $6.8 trillion in 2024.
Worldpay, 10 Years of Cash, Cards and Crypto: Worldpay's Global Payments Report Tracks a Decade of Transformation (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Global e-commerce spend increased from $1.2 trillion in 2014 to over $6.8 trillion in 2024, marking a more than six-fold increase.
- 30.
37% of shoppers in DHL's 2025 global survey have bought something using voice commands.
DHL Group, DHL E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Shopping via voice commands is already on the rise, with 37% of global shoppers - and nearly half of social commerce users - making purchases hands-free.
Chart
Smartphone share of U.S. online holiday spending, 2025 season
Adobe Analytics data on U.S. retail websites, November 1 to December 31.
- Season 202454.5%
- Season 202556.4%
- Thanksgiving 202561.6%
- Christmas Day 202566.5%
Source: Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results
Delivery expectations, returns and problems
- 31.
Free shipping is the top factor in U.S. online purchase decisions year-round, named by 76% of shoppers in Ryder's 2025 study.
Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Free shipping remains the top factor in purchase decisions throughout the year (76%), rising 5% from 2024 and 12% from 2023.
- 32.
Only 15% of U.S. shoppers in Ryder's 2025 study ranked fast shipping of two days or less as most important, down 5 points from 2024.
Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Fast shipping (two days or less) dropped to 15%, down 5% from both 2024 and 2023.
- 33.
71% of U.S. shoppers who picked up online orders in a store did so to avoid shipping costs, up 8 points from 2024.
Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
And among shoppers picking up online orders in-store, 71% did so to avoid shipping costs, up 8% from 2024.
- 34.
81% of shoppers in DHL's 2025 global survey say they will abandon a purchase if their preferred delivery option is not available, and 79% will leave if the returns process falls short.
DHL Group, DHL E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In fact, 81% of consumers say they will abandon their purchase if their preferred delivery option isn't available. Just as critically, 79% will leave if the return process doesn't match their expectations.
- 35.
U.S. retailers expected 15.8% of annual sales, $849.9 billion, to be returned in 2025, according to NRF and Happy Returns.
National Retail Federation, Consumers expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
WASHINGTON – Retailers estimate that 15.8% of their annual sales will be returned this year, totaling $849.9 billion, according to the 2025 Retail Returns Landscape report released today by the National Retail Federation and Happy Returns, a UPS company.
- 36.
An estimated 19.3% of U.S. online sales were expected to be returned in 2025.
National Retail Federation, Consumers expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
According to the report, an estimated 19.3% of online sales will be returned in 2025.
- 37.
U.S. shoppers aged 18 to 30 returned 7.7 online purchases on average in the previous 12 months, more than any other generation.
National Retail Federation, Consumers expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Those between the ages of 18 and 30 made 7.7 returns of online purchases in the last 12 months, on average, more than any other generation.
- 38.
82% of U.S. shoppers say free returns are a major consideration when buying, up from 76% a year earlier.
National Retail Federation, Consumers expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Free returns are a major draw for shoppers, with 82% citing them as a major consideration when making a purchase, up from 76% last year.
- 39.
63% of EU online shoppers reported no problems with online purchases in 2025; the most common problem, slower delivery than promised, affected 20%.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
63% of the individuals who bought or ordered goods or services in 2025 reported no issue while purchasing online. The most often reported issues was ’speed delivery slower than expected’, declared by 20% of the individuals.
- 40.
36% of U.S. adults say they have bought an item online that never arrived or was counterfeit and was not refunded, according to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey.
Pew Research Center, About a third of Americans say they've had an online shopping scam happen to them (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Overall, 36% of U.S. adults say they’ve ever bought an item online that either never arrived (31%) or was counterfeit (17%) and was not refunded.
- 41.
85% of U.S. adults say online scams and attacks are a problem on shopping sites and apps, including 50% who call them a major problem.
Pew Research Center, About a third of Americans say they've had an online shopping scam happen to them (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The vast majority of U.S. adults (85%) say online scams and attacks are a problem on shopping sites and apps, according to a spring Pew Research Center survey .
Chart
Top U.S. holiday purchase motivators, 2025
Ryder surveys of U.S. consumers conducted in early 2025.
- Free shipping76%
- Holiday sales or discounts64%
- Free returns31%
Source: Ryder System, Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed
How people pay
- 42.
Digital wallets accounted for 56% of global e-commerce spending and 33% of in-person spending in 2025, according to Worldpay's Global Payments Report 2026.
Worldpay, GPR 2026 Trend 3: Digital wallets are winning on multiple fronts (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Globally, digital wallets accounted for 56% of online and 33% of in-person spending in 2025
- 43.
In the U.S., digital wallets' share of online spending rose from 15% in 2014 to 39% in 2024.
Worldpay, 10 Years of Cash, Cards and Crypto: Worldpay's Global Payments Report Tracks a Decade of Transformation (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Digital wallets' share of online spending increased from 15% to 39% between 2014 and 2024 in the U.S
- 44.
Credit cards were used for 34% of U.S. consumer payments in 2025 and debit cards for 31%, according to Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta data reported by Pew Research Center.
Pew Research Center, From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, credit cards made up the highest share of payments at 34%. Debit cards followed at 31%, meaning that credit and debit cards together accounted for nearly two-thirds of all payments.
- 45.
Cash made up 14% of U.S. consumer payments in 2025, the third most common method.
Pew Research Center, From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The share of payments made in cash fell to 14%, the third-most common method in the survey.
- 46.
42% of Americans say they do not use cash for any purchases in a typical week, up from 24% in 2015.
Pew Research Center, From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
And 42% now say they don’t use cash for any purchases in a typical week, up from 24% in 2015, according to a 2026 Pew Research Center survey .
Chart
Share of U.S. consumer payments by method, 2025
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, as reported by Pew Research Center. Covers in-person and remote payments.
- Credit card34%
- Debit card31%
- Cash14%
Source: Pew Research Center, From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade
Buy now, pay later
- 47.
16% of U.S. adults used buy now, pay later in 2025, up 1 percentage point, according to the Federal Reserve's household survey.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) use edged up 1 percentage point to 16 percent of all adults.
- 48.
17% of U.S. BNPL users said they were charged extra for paying late, which is 64% of the users who made a late payment.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Sixty-four percent of those BNPL users who were late making a payment (17 percent of those who used BNPL) said they were charged extra for being late.
- 49.
38% of U.S. BNPL users who were charged a late fee also had a BNPL payment trigger a bank overdraft or non-sufficient funds fee.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among BNPL users who said they were charged extra for paying late, nearly 4 in 10 (38 percent) experienced an overdraft or an NSF fee triggered by a BNPL payment.
- 50.
BNPL drove $20 billion of U.S. online spending in the 2025 holiday season, up 9.8%, according to Adobe.
Adobe, Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Usage of the flexible payment method hit an all-time high this holiday season, contributing $20 billion in online spend, up 9.8% YoY and representing $1.8 billion more than the last season.
- 51.
Worldpay forecasts global BNPL e-commerce value to grow from $300 billion in 2025 to $500 billion by 2030.
Worldpay, GPR 2026 Trend 4: BNPL grows up (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
BNPL apps are forecast to grow from $300 billion in global e-commerce value in 2025 to $500 billion by 2030
- 52.
Affirm's gross merchandise volume grew 36% to $14.1 billion in the quarter ending June 30, 2026.
Affirm, Affirm FQ4'26 Shareholder Letter (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) grew 36% to $14.1 billion.
Questions readers ask
- What percentage of people shop online?
- In the EU, 78% of internet users aged 16 to 74 bought goods or services online in 2025, according to Eurostat, and only 15% had never done so. Among people aged 25 to 34 the share was 90%.
- What share of retail sales happens online?
- The ONS reports 28.8% of retail sales in Great Britain were online in August 2026. The U.S. Census Bureau puts e-commerce at 17.1% of U.S. retail in Q2 2026, Statistics Canada reports 7.6% for Canada, and China's online physical goods were 26.1% of retail sales in 2025.
- Do most people shop online on their phones?
- Yes, in the U.S. at least. Adobe found 56.4% of online holiday spending in 2025 happened on smartphones, peaking at 66.5% on Christmas Day. Worldpay estimates phones accounted for 57% of global e-commerce spending in 2024.
- How many online purchases are returned?
- NRF and Happy Returns estimated that 19.3% of U.S. online sales would be returned in 2025, compared with 15.8% of all retail sales. Shoppers aged 18 to 30 returned 7.7 online purchases on average over the previous year.
- How many people use buy now, pay later?
- The Federal Reserve found 16% of U.S. adults used buy now, pay later in 2025. Adobe tracked $20 billion of U.S. holiday online spending through it in 2025, up 9.8%.
- What do shoppers want from delivery?
- Mostly low cost. In Ryder's 2025 study, 76% of U.S. shoppers named free shipping as their top purchase factor, while 15% put two-day delivery first. DHL found 81% of shoppers abandon a purchase when their preferred delivery option is missing.
Where these numbers come from
We picked figures that measure consumer online shopping directly: how many people buy online and how often, online sales as a share of retail, devices, payment methods, delivery and returns, and buy now, pay later. Official figures come from Eurostat's ICT household survey, national retail surveys in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, China and Japan, and the Federal Reserve Board's household survey. Survey and company figures come from Pew Research Center, NRF with Happy Returns, Ryder, DHL, Adobe Analytics, Worldpay, Australia Post and Affirm, and reflect each organization's own sample or platform. Retail definitions vary by country (for example, U.S. and Canadian figures exclude travel and many services), and company surveys are not always nationally representative, so compare figures across sources with care. Every quote was checked against the source page on the date shown. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- Adobe. Adobe: 2025 holiday season online spending results (Jan 2026).
- Affirm. Affirm FQ4'26 Shareholder Letter (Aug 2026).
- Australia Post. Australia Post eCommerce Report 2026: Online marketplaces (Mar 2026).
- DHL Group. DHL E-Commerce Trends Report 2025 (Jun 2025).
- Eurostat. E-commerce statistics for individuals (Feb 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (May 2026).
- Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Results of the FY2024 E-Commerce Market Survey (Aug 2025).
- National Bureau of Statistics of China. National Economy Maintained Stable Growth in 2025 (Jan 2026).
- National Retail Federation. Consumers expected to return nearly $850 billion in merchandise in 2025 (Oct 2025).
- Office for National Statistics. Retail sales, Great Britain: August 2026 (Sep 2026).
- Pew Research Center. About a third of Americans say they've had an online shopping scam happen to them (Nov 2025).
- Pew Research Center. From cash to credit: How Americans' payment methods have changed in the past decade (Sep 2026).
- Ryder System. Ryder 2025 E-commerce Study: 94% of Shoppers Prioritize Cost Savings; Flexibility Gains on Speed (Sep 2025).
- Statistics Canada. The Daily: Retail trade, August 2026 (Oct 2026).
- U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 2nd Quarter 2026 (Aug 2026).
- Worldpay. 10 Years of Cash, Cards and Crypto: Worldpay's Global Payments Report Tracks a Decade of Transformation (Mar 2025).
- Worldpay. GPR 2026 Trend 3: Digital wallets are winning on multiple fronts (Apr 2026).
- Worldpay. GPR 2026 Trend 4: BNPL grows up (Apr 2026).
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Comredix. (2026, November 13). Online Shopping Statistics 2026. https://comredix.com/online-shopping-statistics
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