U.S. e-commerce sales to surpass $1 trillion for the first time in 2022

On August 5, US research firm eMarketer released a breakdown of global retail e-commerce shares .

Data shows that China's retail e-commerce share leads the world, with e-commerce retail sales accounting for 45.3% of the country's retail sales. The UK ranks second with a share of 35.9%, followed by South Korea, with e-commerce retail sales accounting for 30.1%. The United States ranks sixth, because American consumers developed the habit of online shopping relatively late, and e-commerce retail sales only account for 15.0% of total retail sales. It is expected that e-commerce retail sales will reach 1.050 trillion US dollars for the first time this year .

Retail e-commerce spending will grow more slowly than ever in 2022 as most of the world’s largest markets face economic challenges. Globally, e-commerce sales will grow just 9.7% this year, eMarketer said, marking the slowest pace of growth since we began tracking the number in 2011.

At the same time, after two years of rapid growth during the pandemic, U.S. e-commerce sales will slow to just 9.4% year-on-year in 2022 , returning to pre-pandemic levels - the lowest growth rate since 2009 - but e-commerce sales will exceed the $1 trillion mark for the first time.

In addition , eMarketer predicts that the total retail sales in the United States will reach 6.988 trillion US dollars this year. Although the United States faces severe inflationary pressure this year, the US job market is gradually recovering. According to data released by the US Department of Labor, the number of non-agricultural employment in the United States increased by 528,000 in July, and the unemployment rate dropped to 3.5% . This allows American consumers to maintain a certain level of consumption capacity under inflationary pressure, and the huge US retail market will also drive e-commerce sales to exceed the one trillion US dollar mark.

As the pandemic has rapidly increased the share of electronic e-commerce retail sales in the United States while also changing consumer shopping habits and behaviors, automobiles and parts and food and beverages —two categories with historically low levels of online purchases—will be the fastest-growing product categories in e-commerce this year.

USA

E-commerce sales