E-Commerce

E-commerce is the broad term for buying and selling physical goods over the internet. The most profitable and visible segments of the e-commerce market are business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C). When goods are purchased and sold online between two businesses, it is defined as B2B commerce. When online transactions take place between a retailer and a private user or consumer, B2C commerce is the term that best describes the process.

In recent years, consumer-to-consumer (C2C) players have gained popularity, driven by big names such as eBay, Etsy, and Taobao. Most recent developments in global e-commerce have driven the market towards a more mobile direction. Today, in addition to online platforms on desktop and mobile devices, many e-commerce players and online retailers sell their products via mobile shopping apps. as well as through social media platforms.

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State of the industry

Trending facts & insights

  • Retail e-commerce sales worldwide from 2014 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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  • Annual net sales revenue of Amazon from 2004 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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  • Average e-commerce spending per online shopper worldwide per visit in 3rd quarter 2023, by category (in U.S. dollars)

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  • Revenues of the online food delivery market worldwide from 2017 to 2027, by segment (in trillion U.S. dollars)

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  • Online shopping conversion rate in selected verticals worldwide in 3rd quarter 2023

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  • Most common types of fraud attacks experienced by online merchants worldwide in 2022

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  • Total retail e-commerce revenue worldwide in 2022, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)

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  • Fashion retail e-commerce revenue worldwide in 2023, by country (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Industry definition

E-commerce refers to the selling and buying goods and services via online means. The three main subcategories of the broader e-commerce industry are B2B (business-to-business), B2C (business-to-consumer), and C2C (consumer-to-consumer) commerce. Besides B2B, B2C, and C2C e-commerce, Statista's coverage of e-commerce includes online marketplaces, online retail, direct-to-consumer sales, and the digital shopping behavior of online buyers. By providing key indicators of the e-commerce market, Statista's content offers extensive information on the leading e-commerce players and platforms of the global and regional markets.

More interesting topics from the industry "E-Commerce"

B2C E-Commerce

Digital Shopping Behaviour

Key Figures of E-Commerce

Other interesting topics relating to the sub-industries of the "E-Commerce" industry

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