- /
- All Industries /
- Retail /
- eCommerce /
- US Path to Online Purchase Market Report 2022
“Shopping online has become a critical aspect of shopping in general for consumers over the last several years. The pandemic certainly accelerated consumers’ use of ecommerce across generations, and while they are returning to in-store shopping, they still use online channels for everything from discovery and research to purchasing and post-purchase interactions with brands. The coming years will see increased online engagements as innovations such as the metaverse grow, and social commerce becomes more commonplace.”
– Katie Hansen, Senior Analyst, Retail and eCommerce
This Report looks at the following areas
- The profile of the online shopper
- Why consumers decide to shop online
- Where consumers begin their online shopping journey
- Researching and purchasing behaviors
- Post-purchase expectations and opportunities for brands
- Reasons for impulse purchases as well as cart abandonment
- Frustrations with the online shopping process
Collapse All
-
Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
-
Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of ecommerce, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 2: eCommerce outlook, 2022-27
- Challenges and opportunities
- Online window shopping leads to higher rates of cart abandonment
- A choppy shopping journey will have consumers jumping ship
- Evolutions in tech help brands bring experiences to consumers online
- Key consumer insights
-
Market Size and Forecast
- eCommerce continues its climb, albeit at a slower pace
- Figure 3: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of ecommerce, at current prices, 2017-27
- Figure 4: Total US ecommerce sales and forecast, at current prices, 2017-27
- eCommerce continues its climb, albeit at a slower pace
-
Market Factors
- Consumers re-examine their budgets as inflation continues to rise
- Figure 5: Consumer Price Index change from previous period, 2007-22
- Younger generations are a key target market for brands online
- Figure 6: Population by generation, 2021
- Technological advancements change the path-to-purchase landscape
- Online shopping can leave a wake of environmental damage in its path
- Consumers re-examine their budgets as inflation continues to rise
-
Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
-
- Figure 7: Key elements of ecommerce – Ranked 1st, 2022
- Convenience continues to be king
- Figure 8: Key elements of ecommerce – Convenience, 2022
- Seamless shopping gives consumers the flexibility they seek
-
- Figure 9: Key elements of ecommerce – Seamless shopping, 2022
- Figure 10: Rothy’s partners with Happy Returns
- Personalization opportunities give brands a human touch online
- Figure 11: Key elements of ecommerce – Personalization, 2022
-
- Figure 12: Prose encourages consumers to keep updating preferences for a personalized experience
- Technology: tech enables an elevated experience
- Figure 13: Key elements of ecommerce – Technology, 2022
-
- Figure 14: Amazon shows its option for virtual shoe try-on
-
-
The Online Consumer – Fast Facts
-
The Online Shopper Profile
- Consumers from all backgrounds shop online
-
- Figure 15: Online shopping frequency, by key demos, 2022
- A seamless experience must expand to smartphone shopping
- Figure 16: Devices used to shop, by key demos, 2022
- Online shopping is intertwined with physical retail
- Figure 17: Percentage of purchases made online, by key demos, 2022
-
The Role of Online in the Purchase Journey
- The online experience provides practicality and convenience
-
- Figure 18: Reasons to shop online, 2022
- Younger generations look for flexibility and control
- Figure 19: Reasons to shop online, by generation, 2022
- Consumers can relax as they shop online from their homes
- Figure 20: Attitudes – Online versus in-store, 2022
- Millennials are the most enthusiastic about shopping online
- Figure 21: Attitudes – Online versus in-store, by generation 2022
- Consumers shop a variety of products online with offline assistance
-
- Figure 22: Products purchased, 2022
-
Online Shopping Origin
- Amazon commands as consumers’ starting point
-
- Figure 23: Online shopping origin, 2022
- Consumers want options, insight as they start shopping online
-
- Figure 24: Reasons for origin, 2022
- Each starting point has its own benefits
- Figure 25: Reasons for origin, by starting location, 2022
-
- Figure 26: Target and Ulta partnerships, 2022
-
Sources of Discovery
- Family and friends, search engines, and social media aid consumers in their discovery process
-
- Figure 27: Sources of discovery, 2022
- Social media continues to be a destination for younger generations
- Figure 28: Sources of discovery, by generation, 2022
-
- Figure 29: Shady Rays puts its product in motion
- Parents seek out social sources to ask questions, find answers
- Figure 30: Sources of discovery, by parental status, 2022
-
Research Behaviors
- Consumers incorporate a variety of sources when researching products
- Figure 31: Sources of information, 2022
- Women seek out opinions from community; men look for authenticity
- Figure 32: Sources of information, by gender, 2022
- Basic understanding is the first key to a successful purchase journey
- Figure 33: Research behaviors, 2022
- Emphasize clarity, transparency with women
- Figure 34: Research behaviors, by gender, 2022
- Younger consumers seek an elevated research experience
- Figure 35: Research behaviors, by generation, 2022
- Consumers incorporate a variety of sources when researching products
-
Purchase Behaviors
- Price, matching the right need, and the brand relationship drive purchases
- Figure 36: Motivations to purchase an item, 2022
- Millennials look for brands that offer flexibility
- Figure 37: Motivations to purchase an item, by generation, 2022
- Websites remain most popular for purchasing
- Figure 38: Preferred purchase method, 2022
- Younger generations branch outside of websites
- Figure 39: Preferred purchase method, by generation, 2022
- Traditional payment methods remain the priority for consumers
- Figure 40: Preferred payment method, 2022
- Younger consumers are more likely to seek out alternative payment options
- Figure 41: Preferred payment method, by generation, 2022
- Price, matching the right need, and the brand relationship drive purchases
-
Post-purchase Process
- The brand experience continues after a consumer makes a purchase
- Figure 42: Post-purchase follow-up, 2022
- Gen Z, Millennials see value in a continuous conversation with brands
- Figure 43: Post-purchase follow-up, by generation, 2022
- Give parents a reason to feel good about their purchases
- Figure 44: Post-purchase follow-up, by parental status, 2022
- The delivery and return experience factors into the purchase journey
- The brand experience continues after a consumer makes a purchase
-
Impulse Purchases
- Value is at the center of impulse purchases
- Figure 45: Impulse purchases, by gender, 2022
- Higher household incomes are more receptive to impulse purchase drivers
- Figure 46: Impulse purchases, by household income, 2022
- Value is at the center of impulse purchases
-
Cart Abandonment
- Price, window shopping increase chances for cart abandonment
-
- Figure 47: Reasons for cart abandonment, 2022
- Women consider if they need an item; men consider if they have the best item
- Figure 48: Reasons for cart abandonment, by gender, 2022
-
Online Shopping Frustrations
- Transparency is the number one desired feature from brands
- Figure 49: Frustrations with online shopping, 2022
- Parents want to move smoothly through the online journey
- Figure 50: Frustrations with online shopping, by parental status, 2022
- Transparency is the number one desired feature from brands
-
Attitudes toward Online Shopping
- Provide consumers with control, flexible options as they shop online
- Figure 51: Attitudes – Delivery, returns, reorders, 2022
- Gen Z is impatient with their deliveries
- Figure 52: Attitudes – Delivery, returns, reorders, 2022
- Consumers find fun as they shop online
-
- Figure 53: Attitudes – Online shopping enjoyment, 2022
- Put human touches on a digital environment
- Figure 54: Attitudes – The brand relationship, 2022
-
- Figure 55: Branch Basics taps into storytelling to connect with consumers
- Younger consumers take advantage of ways to get to know a brand online
- Figure 56: Attitudes – The brand relationship, 2022
- Provide consumers with control, flexible options as they shop online
-
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
-
Appendix – The Market
-
- Figure 57: Total US ecommerce sales and forecast, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2017-27
-
About the report
Below is a sample report, understand what you are buying.
Please Note: This is a sample report. All of the figures, graphs, and tables have been redacted. Our reports are available to download in PDF and PPT formats.
Other Popular Reports
US Third-Party Shopping Sites Market Report 2023
$4,995 (Excl.Tax)
“Third-party marketplaces are an essential part of the ecommerce landscape which continues to see growth year over year. Consumers gravitate toward these sites to find unique items and/or...
Find out moreUS Social Commerce Market Report 2023
$4,995 (Excl.Tax)
“Social commerce is growing, albeit at a much slower pace in the US compared to the rest of the globe. This, however, does not mean that brands should...
Find out moreUS Online BPC Product Discovery Market Report 2023
$4,995 (Excl.Tax)
The BPC category evokes a strong sense of enjoyment among users, creating a highly receptive platform for new product discovery, especially in digital spaces. Carson Kitzmiller, Senior Analyst,...
Find out moreUS Luxury Shopping Online Market Report 2023
$4,995 (Excl.Tax)
Luxury retail is evolving in the omnichannel era, where digital expansion is paramount to delivering quality experiences to a new generation of luxury shoppers. Brittany Steiger, Senior Analyst,...
Find out moreUS Baby Boomers: Online Shopping Behaviors Market Report 2023
$4,995 (Excl.Tax)
“Baby Boomers are more savvy online shoppers than they feel they are given credit for. Despite not being digital natives, they have adapted to shopping online, in many...
Find out moreTrusted by global industry leaders
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
“We also use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.”
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, Wunderman Thompson
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
It’s mostly me who uses them but if I know someone is working on something specific I will share the relevant reports.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Sr. Marketing Manager, CE, Amazon
“Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.”
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
