E-Commerce

This page provides statistics, facts and market data related to electronic commerce (e-commerce). This includes information on B2C and B2B e-commerce volume and value, as well as individual sector e-commerce figures and country-specific e-commerce numbers.

The worldwide expansion of the internet has considerably contributed to the transformation of trade and store transactions. E-commerce, or electronic commerce, largely means buying and/or selling products through the internet and is commonly associated with online shopping. E-commerce also makes use of regular technological maintenance to ensure the smooth functioning of online store sites, monetary transactions, as well as everything to do with providing and delivering products. E-commerce statistics confirm the explosive pace at which this industry has developed as worldwide B2C e-commerce sales amounted to more than 1.2 trillion US dollars in 2013.

There are several different types of e-commerce, the most prevalent being B2B (business-to-business), B2C (business-to-consumer) and C2C (consumer-to-consumer) e-commerce. Furthermore, mobile commerce in the shape of buying and selling goods and content via mobile devices such as smartphones is also on the rise.

Current e-commerce statistics state that 40 percent of worldwide internet users have bought products or goods online via desktop, mobile, tablet or other online devices. This amounts to more than 1 billion online buyers and is projected to continuously grow.

According to popular e-commerce market data, US-founded Amazon is one of the leading e-commerce platforms worldwide. Asian competitors such as Rakuten or Alibaba are also constantly expanding their share within the B2C e-commerce market. Online auction website eBay is the most popular example for C2C e-commerce whilst also providing a platform for merchants to sell their goods.

Mobile commerce growth is another exciting trend to watch in terms of e-commerce statistics, considering the popularity and widespread use of smartphones and growing usage of tablets. In 2013, US mobile commerce revenue amounted to more than 38 billion US dollars. This type of e-commerce includes mobile media and content, retail services, travel purchases and various other services.

Digital payments are also closely connected to e-commerce. Alternative payment methods such as digital wallets or online payment providers have seen increased adoption rates and rapid growth in the past few years. Ebay-owned PayPal is one of the current market leaders with more than 14 billion US dollars in mobile payment volume alone. Digital payments are not only convenient for the mobile shopping experience but also for the increasingly available paid digital content like streaming music, online video subscriptions and apps. For example, global mobile app revenues are projected to surpass 30 billion US dollars in the coming year.

Photo: istockphoto.com / alexsl