US retailers aim for an 90.0% on-time delivery rate, yet cart abandonment in retail e-commerce still averages 70% in 2023. At the same time, US retail e-commerce sales grew 5.4% year over year in 2023 while non-store retail sales fell 2.2% year over year in March 2024. This post brings together the trade, labor, margins, logistics, and consumer signals behind that push and pull.
Key Takeaways
- $1,092.2 billion in 2023 global merchandise (goods) trade exports
- $1,065.5 billion in 2023 global merchandise (goods) trade imports
- 6.5% average annual growth (2018–2022) for the global e-commerce market for apparel
- 2.2% year-over-year decline in US retail sales of non-store retailers (which include many merchandise/e-commerce categories) in March 2024
- 5.4% year-over-year increase in US retail e-commerce sales in 2023
- 7.0% share of GDP accounted for by tradeable goods and services in the EU’s goods sector (2022)
- $38,480 median annual wage for retail salespersons in the US (2023)
- $41,480 median annual wage for cashiers in the US (2023)
- $61,980 median annual wage for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers in the US (2023)
- $1.96 billion global cost of counterfeit goods (2022 estimate)
- Worldwide logistics costs were about 8%–10% of GDP in 2022 (logistics cost as share of GDP; widely cited range by logistics bodies)
- US retailers spent about $83.8 billion on cybersecurity in 2023 (industry estimate; includes retailers and related services)
- 90.0% on-time delivery rate is targeted by top performers in retail logistics (benchmark)
- US retailers’ average gross margin was 27.1% in 2023
- Retail trade return rate (measure of sales returns relative to sales) averaged 2.0% in 2023
Global goods trade rose alongside booming e commerce, but retailers face returns, cybersecurity, and logistics pressure.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
$1,092.2 billion in 2023 global merchandise (goods) trade exports
02
$1,065.5 billion in 2023 global merchandise (goods) trade imports
03
6.5% average annual growth (2018–2022) for the global e-commerce market for apparel
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, the industry is anchored by the huge scale of global merchandise trade with 2023 exports at $1,092.2 billion and imports at $1,065.5 billion, while e commerce apparel is growing faster at a 6.5% average annual rate from 2018 to 2022.
02 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
2.2% year-over-year decline in US retail sales of non-store retailers (which include many merchandise/e-commerce categories) in March 2024
02
5.4% year-over-year increase in US retail e-commerce sales in 2023
03
7.0% share of GDP accounted for by tradeable goods and services in the EU’s goods sector (2022)
04
30% of surveyed retailers said they are using generative AI for product discovery/merchandising in 2024 (survey result)
05
49% of retailers adopted or planned to adopt automation in warehouse operations during 2023–2024 (survey result)
06
23% of retailers reported operating in a ‘single view of customer’ model (CRM/customer data unification) in 2023 (survey result)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Merchandise retailers are accelerating digital transformation with e-commerce up 5.4% in 2023, while 30% already use generative AI for product discovery and 49% plan automation in warehouse operations, even as non-store retail sales fell 2.2% year over year in March 2024.
03 · Category
Employment & Labor8 stats
01
$38,480median annual wage for retail salespersons in the US (2023)
02
$41,480median annual wage for cashiers in the US (2023)
03
$61,980median annual wage for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers in the US (2023)
04
$76,270median annual wage for transportation and material moving occupations in the US (2023)
05
8.6% unemployment rate in the US (April 2024)
06
16.2% labor productivity growth (2022 vs 2021) for the US wholesale and retail trade sector
07
12.3% of workers in the retail trade industry were in unions (2023)
08
US retail and wholesale employment total: 52.1 million workers (2023 average)
Interpretation
Employment & Labor Interpretation
In the Merchandise Industry’s Employment and Labor landscape, median pay in key roles varies widely with retail salespersons at $38,480 and cashiers at $41,480 in 2023, while stronger leadership earnings rise to $61,980 for first line supervisors, all amid a tight 8.6% US unemployment rate in April 2024.
More related reading
04 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
$1.96 billion global cost of counterfeit goods (2022 estimate)
02
Worldwide logistics costs were about 8%–10% of GDP in 2022 (logistics cost as share of GDP; widely cited range by logistics bodies)
03
US retailers spent about $83.8 billion on cybersecurity in 2023 (industry estimate; includes retailers and related services)
04
In 2023, fuel and energy costs represented 3.1% of total US retailer operating costs (CPI-based cost component share, 2023 average)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For Cost Analysis in the merchandise industry, losses and operating pressures are mounting, with counterfeit goods costing an estimated $1.96 billion globally in 2022 while logistics running at roughly 8% to 10% of GDP and fuel and energy making up 3.1% of US retailer operating costs in 2023 all show how major cost drivers are stacking up.
05 · Category
Performance Metrics6 stats
01
90.0% on-time delivery rate is targeted by top performers in retail logistics (benchmark)
02
US retailers’ average gross margin was 27.1% in 2023
03
Retail trade return rate (measure of sales returns relative to sales) averaged 2.0% in 2023
04
Cart abandonment rate for retail e-commerce averaged 70% in 2023 (US/EU benchmark)
05
Retailers using RFID in 2022 reported 15% fewer out-of-stocks (pilot benchmark)
06
75% of consumers expect same-day delivery for online purchases (2024)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance Metrics show retail momentum is being driven by execution and digital friction, with top performers targeting a 90.0% on time delivery rate while the cart abandonment rate averages 70% for retail e commerce and return rates sit at 2.0% in 2023.
06 · Category
User Adoption5 stats
01
3.4% of US consumers reported making a purchase using social media in 2023
02
58% of US online adults say they have used a digital wallet to make an online purchase
03
77% of US adults who use online shopping report using coupons or promo codes at least sometimes
04
67% of consumers worldwide say they prefer shopping from brands that offer online returns (2023 survey result)
05
69% of consumers say product reviews strongly influence their purchasing decisions (2023 survey result)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the User Adoption angle, adoption is being pulled forward more by digital shopping behaviors than by social commerce, with 58% of US online adults using digital wallets and 77% of US online shoppers using coupons or promo codes at least sometimes, while only 3.4% made purchases via social media in 2023.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Merchandise Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/merchandise-industry-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Merchandise Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/merchandise-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Merchandise Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/merchandise-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+14 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)