Eighty percent of U.S. consumers made an online purchase last month, yet those digital orders are returned at nearly double the rate of in-store buys. This data illustrates the complex forces reshaping retail, where convenience and immediate value increasingly direct spending.
Key Takeaways
- 56% of U.S. consumers prefer in-store shopping for groceries in 2023.
- 72% of global consumers increased online shopping frequency post-2020.
- U.S. Gen Z shoppers spend average $828 annually on apparel online.
- Global e-commerce penetration rate reached 22% of total retail in 2023.
- U.S. mobile commerce sales $710 billion in 2023, 50% of e-commerce.
- Amazon held 37.8% of U.S. e-commerce market share in 2023.
- Retail industry employed 52.4 million people in the U.S. in 2023.
- Average retail hourly wage in U.S. $18.27 in 2023.
- 10.3 million retail jobs added globally since 2020 recovery.
- In 2023, the global retail industry generated total sales of $28.3 trillion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% from 2018 to 2023.
- The U.S. retail market size stood at $7.04 trillion in 2023, up 2.8% year-over-year adjusted for inflation.
- E-commerce accounted for 19.5% of total U.S. retail sales in Q4 2023, compared to 14.3% in 2020.
- U.S. total retail sales for December 2023 were $709.9 billion, up 0.6% from November.
- Amazon's retail revenue in 2023 was $231.9 billion from North America alone.
- Walmart U.S. retail sales reached $420.4 billion in fiscal 2024.
In 2023, shoppers turned more online for deals and convenience as e commerce grew and retail preferences shifted.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Behavior26 stats
01
56% of U.S. consumers prefer in-store shopping for groceries in 2023.
02
72% of global consumers increased online shopping frequency post-2020.
03
U.S. Gen Z shoppers spend average $828annually on apparel online.
04
41% of U.S. consumers shop more at discount stores due to inflation in 2023.
05
68% of millennials prioritize sustainability in retail purchases.
06
Average U.S. household grocery spending $5,703per year in 2023.
07
55% of consumers use buy now, pay later (BNPL) services for retail buys.
08
U.S. consumers returned 16.5% of online purchases in 2023, vs 8.9% in-store.
09
47% of shoppers abandon carts due to high shipping costs.
10
Loyalty program members spend 12-18% more than non-members.
11
62% of U.S. consumers influenced by social media in purchases.
12
Average time spent shopping in-store by U.S. consumers: 42 minutes.
13
35% of consumers prefer curbside pickup over delivery.
14
U.S. women spend 2x more on beauty products than men annually.
15
49% of consumers read reviews before buying electronics.
16
Impulse buying accounts for 40% of all consumer purchases.
17
73% of U.S. parents shop for kids' clothing online.
18
Average cart value for mobile shoppers $62vs $78 desktop.
19
61% of consumers want personalized retail experiences.
20
Subscription box services retained 75% of customers in 2023.
21
28% of U.S. consumers reduced luxury spending in 2023 due to economy.
22
Pet owners spend average $1,400/year on pet products in U.S.
23
64% of shoppers use smartphones in-store for price checks.
24
U.S. consumers aged 55+ spend most on groceries: $7,200/year.
25
52% prefer brands with strong social responsibility.
26
Online grocery shopping frequency: 1.5 times/month per U.S. household.
Interpretation
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
We are a nation of careful planners at the discount store, impulsive creatures on our phones, forever trying to reconcile our love for squeezing avocados with our desire to save the planet—all while the cart quietly judges our budget.
02 · Category
E-commerce Trends25 stats
01
Global e-commerce penetration rate reached 22% of total retail in 2023.
02
U.S. mobile commerce sales $710 billion in 2023, 50% of e-commerce.
03
Amazon held 37.8% of U.S. e-commerce market share in 2023.
04
Global online marketplace sales $1.1 trillion in 2023.
05
Shopify merchant sales volume $197 billion in 2023.
06
80% of Americans made an online purchase in past month (2023).
07
Cross-border e-commerce global sales $785 billion in 2023.
08
U.S. social commerce sales $75 billion in 2023, projected $143B by 2027.
09
Average conversion rate for e-commerce sites 2.5-3% in 2023.
10
Voice commerce sales projected $40 billion U.S. by 2025.
11
57% of e-commerce traffic from mobile devices in 2023.
12
Livestream shopping sales $500 billion globally in 2023.
13
U.S. grocery e-commerce sales $28 billion in 2023.
14
Click-and-collect orders 20% of e-commerce fulfillment in U.S.
15
AR/VR used by 71% of retailers for e-commerce enhancement in 2023.
16
Global BNPL transaction volume $360 billion in e-commerce 2023.
17
Email marketing ROI for e-commerce 42:1 in 2023.
18
48% of shoppers start product search on Amazon.
19
Subscription e-commerce revenue $120 billion U.S. 2023.
20
Headless commerce adoption up 35% among enterprises in 2023.
21
U.S. apparel e-commerce sales $192 billion in 2023.
22
Global electronics e-commerce $650 billion projected 2023.
23
2.14 billion global digital buyers in 2023.
24
Average e-commerce site bounce rate 45.69% in 2023.
25
U.S. retail e-commerce sales Q4 2023: $300.2 billion.
Interpretation
E-commerce Trends Interpretation
The retail world is now a digital circus where everyone is invited to shop, yet nearly half the visitors walk out the tent door immediately, while a giant named Amazon collects the tickets for half the rides.
03 · Category
Employment & Operations23 stats
01
Retail industry employed 52.4 million people in the U.S. in 2023.
02
Average retail hourly wage in U.S. $18.27in 2023.
03
10.3 million retail jobs added globally since 2020 recovery.
04
U.S. retail turnover rate 59% annually in 2023.
05
42% of retail workers are part-time in U.S.
06
Global retail supply chain disruptions affected 78% of retailers in 2023.
07
U.S. retail stores averaged 4,200 sq ft in 2023.
08
65% of retailers adopted AI for inventory management in 2023.
09
Shrinkage cost U.S. retailers $112.1 billion in 2023.
10
Average retail store operating cost per sq ft $200annually U.S.
11
28% of retail executives plan store expansions in 2024.
12
U.S. retail labor productivity up 2.1% in 2023.
13
75% of retailers use omnichannel strategies operationally.
14
Global retail energy costs rose 15% in 2023.
15
U.S. retail vacancy rate 4.8% in Q4 2023.
16
3.2 million retail jobs projected U.S. by 2032.
17
Automation reduced manual stocking tasks by 30% in large chains.
18
Average retail manager salary U.S. $62,000in 2023.
19
51% of retailers faced labor shortages in 2023.
20
Store closures U.S.: 7,325 in 2023.
21
New store openings U.S.: 4,082 in 2023.
22
RFID adoption in retail operations 46% in 2023.
23
U.S. retail sales per employee $142,000annually 2023.
Interpretation
Employment & Operations Interpretation
In the high-stakes game of retail, where a massive workforce clocks in for modest wages amid a dizzying revolving door of hires, the industry is desperately trying to shore up its foundations—fighting shrinkage, supply snarls, and labor gaps with AI and automation—while cautiously placing expansion bets on a board where energy costs are soaring and square footage is both a costly asset and a strategic gamble.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size & Growth30 stats
01
In 2023, the global retail industry generated total sales of $28.3 trillion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% from 2018 to 2023.
02
The U.S. retail market size stood at $7.04 trillion in 2023, up 2.8% year-over-year adjusted for inflation.
03
E-commerce accounted for 19.5% of total U.S. retail sales in Q4 2023, compared to 14.3% in 2020.
04
Global retail e-commerce sales are projected to reach $6.5 trillion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 9.4% from 2021.
05
The Asia-Pacific retail market dominated with $15.2 trillion in sales in 2022, representing 55% of global retail.
06
U.S. retail sales grew by 3.8% in 2023 to $7.1 trillion, driven by strong holiday spending.
07
The luxury retail segment worldwide reached €1.1 trillion in 2023, with 8% growth post-pandemic.
08
Grocery retail sales in the U.S. hit $1.02 trillion in 2023, up 2.1% from 2022.
09
Fast fashion retail market size was valued at $109.5 billion globally in 2023, expected to grow to $185 billion by 2030.
10
The U.S. apparel retail sector sales totaled $369 billion in 2023, a 1.5% increase YoY.
11
Global retail market is forecasted to expand by 20% to $33.8 trillion by 2028.
12
China's retail sales reached 47.15 trillion yuan ($6.6 trillion) in 2023, up 7.2% YoY.
13
European retail sales volume grew by 1.2% in 2023, with total market at €4.1 trillion.
14
U.S. non-store retail sales surged 7.3% to $1.2 trillion in 2023.
15
The pet retail industry in the U.S. was valued at $147 billion in 2023, growing 6.5% annually.
16
Global beauty and personal care retail sales hit $580 billion in 2023, with 5% CAGR projected to 2028.
17
U.S. electronics retail sales reached $408 billion in 2023, up 3.2% YoY.
18
India's retail market size was $961 billion in 2023, projected to double by 2026.
19
UK retail sector sales totaled £442 billion in 2023, with 1.8% growth.
20
Global home improvement retail market valued at $837 billion in 2023, CAGR 4.5% to 2030.
21
U.S. food service and drinking places sales were $1.1 trillion in 2023, up 7.9%.
22
Brazil's retail sales grew 2.4% in 2023 to BRL 2.3 trillion.
23
Australian retail turnover reached AUD 614 billion in 2023, up 1.5%.
24
Canada retail sales hit CAD 802 billion in 2023, growing 1.7% adjusted for inflation.
25
Global footwear retail market size was $365.5 billion in 2022, projected to $500 billion by 2030.
26
U.S. sporting goods retail sales totaled $109 billion in 2023, up 4.2%.
27
Japan retail sales increased 4.9% YoY in 2023 to ¥152 trillion.
28
Mexico retail sales grew 4.4% in 2023 to MXN 1.8 trillion.
29
South Korea retail sales reached KRW 505 trillion in 2023, up 2.8%.
30
Global furniture retail market valued at $677 billion in 2023, CAGR 5.2% forecasted.
Interpretation
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
The numbers tell a relentlessly optimistic story: despite everything, the global shopping cart is not only still full, but it’s also getting bigger, smarter, and increasingly delivered straight to our doors.
05 · Category
Sales & Revenue28 stats
01
U.S. total retail sales for December 2023 were $709.9 billion, up 0.6% from November.
02
Amazon's retail revenue in 2023 was $231.9 billion from North America alone.
03
Walmart U.S. retail sales reached $420.4 billion in fiscal 2024.
04
Costco net sales for 2023 totaled $237.7 billion, up 6.7% YoY.
05
Target Corporation reported $107.4 billion in U.S. sales for 2023.
06
Home Depot U.S. net sales were $152.7 billion in fiscal 2023.
07
Kroger Co. sales reached $150 billion in 2023.
08
Macy's net sales for 2023 were $23.9 billion, down 5.1% YoY.
09
Best Buy total revenue $46.3 billion in fiscal 2024.
10
Lowe's Companies reported $86.4 billion in sales for fiscal 2023.
11
TJX Companies net sales $49.9 billion for fiscal 2024.
12
Ross Stores sales totaled $20.7 billion in fiscal 2023.
13
Dollar General sales $38.7 billion in fiscal 2023.
14
CVS Health retail sales $110.4 billion in 2023.
15
AutoZone net sales $18.5 billion for fiscal 2024 Q1-Q4.
16
Starbucks global net revenues $36 billion in fiscal 2024.
17
Nike global revenues $51.2 billion for fiscal 2024.
18
Lululemon athletica net revenue $9.6 billion in fiscal 2023.
19
Gap Inc. net sales $14.9 billion for fiscal 2023.
20
U.S. holiday retail sales 2023 totaled $989 billion, up 3.8% from 2022.
21
Black Friday 2023 U.S. retail sales reached $9.8 billion online alone.
22
Cyber Monday 2023 generated $13.3 billion in U.S. online sales.
23
Grocery sales via e-commerce in U.S. hit $12 billion in December 2023.
24
U.S. apparel sales online $192 billion in 2023.
25
Sporting goods store sales U.S. $5.4 billion in December 2023.
26
Health and personal care stores U.S. sales $38.6 billion December 2023.
27
Furniture and home furnishings U.S. sales $6.2 billion December 2023.
28
Electronics and appliance stores U.S. $7.9 billion December 2023.
Interpretation
Sales & Revenue Interpretation
The retail landscape reveals a stark hierarchy where a few giants like Amazon and Walmart feast on a banquet of hundreds of billions, while others, like Macy's, are left to carefully count their crumbs, proving that in American consumerism, scale is everything and sentiment is nothing.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Consumer Retail Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/consumer-retail-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Consumer Retail Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/consumer-retail-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Consumer Retail Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/consumer-retail-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
63 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
investors.shopify.com