Ecommerce Sales Up 109% Since 2010

David Rekuc Strategy

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, ecommerce sales in the second quarter of 2015 increased 14.1% from the second quarter of 2014, while total retail sales increased only 1.0% in the same period.

In Q2 2015, ecommerce accounted for 7.2% of total retail sales.

To put those numbers in perspective: in Q2 2010, the Census Bureau reported $39.7 billion in sales for ecommerce. In the same quarter of this year, that number reached $83.9 billion, an increase of 109% in just five years.

In Q2 2009, ecommerce accounted for just 3.6% of total retail sales. This means ecommerce penetration of the total retail market has doubled in only six years.

Estimated Quarterly Retail ecommerce Sales as a Percent of Total Retail Sales:

Statistics from the Census Bureau are adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes.

“It comes as no surprise that it’s a great time to be in ecommerce,” says Ripen founder Michael Tudor. “When you’re caught up in day-to-day work, it’s easy to forget how far our industry has come in the last five years. The ecommerce industry is solid and growing. But we still have a ways to go.”

Though consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with shopping online, there are a handful of reasons shoppers still head to stores 92% of the time.

According to a recent report from Ripen:

• 30.8% of consumers want to see or feel the item(s) in person
• 29.9% want instant gratification, and
• 16.9% of shoppers are worried about privacy.

Learn how to alleviate customer concerns with 12 tips from Ripen marketing director David Rekuc.