Electronic Shopping

The 53,556 Electronic shopping retailers in the US are online-only retailers, with no or limited-format physical stores. The business format ranges from the independent specialized seller with one or a few lines of products to the large conglomeration of businesses selling a broad range of products on a single e-commerce website (Amazon, Etsy). Websites that bring together third-party sellers are known as marketplaces and typically earn revenue by charging sellers a fee that is either fixed or based on a percentage of sales or a number of transactions.

Fierce Ecommerce Competition

Electronic shopping sites must find ways to stand out in an e-commerce market flooded with domestic and foreign retailers as well as dominant players like Amazon.

Delivery Race Slows

The need for speed in ecommerce delivery is easing with shoppers showing a greater willingness to wait for deliveries of household items as concerns grow over the cost of fulfillment.

Sep 28, 2026 - Adobe Forecasts Record Online Holiday Spending

• According to a Wall Street Journal report, Adobe’s latest forecast points to another strong holiday season for the US electronic shopping industry, with online sales expected to reach a record $275.1 billion from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, up 6.7% year over year. Cyber Monday is projected to generate $15.1 billion, up 6.2%, while Black Friday sales are forecast to rise 9.2% to $12.9 billion as deeper discounts attract shoppers. The outlook also shows holiday demand shifting earlier. Adobe expects October online spending to rise 8% to $95.8 billion as Amazon Prime Day and competing promotions pull purchases forward. For electronic shopping firms, that means a longer promotional season, heavier discount competition, and greater pressure to manage inventory and margins while capturing deal-focused consumers buying both gifts and everyday essentials.
• Consumer confidence weakened heading into fall, signaling a more cautious outlook for the US electronic shopping industry as shoppers become increasingly selective with discretionary online purchases. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index slipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2. Its Present Situation Index rose to 121.2, suggesting current conditions remain supportive, while the Expectations Index fell to 68.2, pointing to greater concern about future income, jobs, and business conditions. The University of Michigan’s September Index of Consumer Sentiment fell 7.0% month over month to 48.1. Current Economic Conditions declined 1.9% to 50.9, while Consumer Expectations dropped 10.1% to 46.3. For online retailers, weaker future expectations could pressure discretionary categories, although consumers seeking convenience, price comparisons, and promotions may continue shifting purchases toward e-commerce.
• Back-to-school spending is expected to remain strong for the US electronic shopping industry, but a smaller share of consumers plans to shop online this year, increasing pressure on retailers to compete on price and promotions, according to the latest data from the National Retail Federation. The NRF expects K-12 spending to reach a record $43.3 billion and college spending to surpass $100 billion for the first time, driven in part by higher purchases of electronics. While 62% of shoppers began shopping by early July, many are delaying purchases to capture discounts, with 46% waiting for better deals and 54% already taking advantage of summer sales events such as Prime Day. However, only 50% of K-12 shoppers plan to shop online, down from 55% last year, while 41% of college shoppers expect to buy online, the lowest share since 2016. The results suggest online retailers will need compelling promotions and strong omnichannel strategies to capture a larger share of record back-to-school spending.
• The Consumer Brand Manufacturer and Web-Only Retailer categories are leading growth in the US electronic shopping industry, according to a new report by Digital Commerce 360. Consumer Brand Manufacturers posted the fastest five-year CAGR at 9.3%, supported by strong brand recognition, direct customer relationships, and subscription offerings. Web-Only Retailers followed closely with a 9.2% CAGR, though Amazon was the key growth driver; without Amazon, the category’s CAGR would drop to 5.7%. Amazon itself posted a 10.1% five-year CAGR. The fastest-growing online retailer overall was Hims & Hers, which increased web sales 60.7% year over year in 2025. These trends suggest continued opportunities for electronic shopping companies that can build differentiated brands, deepen customer relationships, and use direct-to-consumer or subscription models to drive repeat sales.

Industry size & Structure

The average electronic shopping retailer operates out of a single location, employs 15 workers, and generates $21 million annually.

• The electronic shopping retailer industry consists of 53,556 companies that employ over 780,598 workers and generate $1.1 trillion annually.
• The industry is concentrated at the top and fragmented at the bottom with the top 20 firms accounting for about 53% of industry sales.
• Large companies include Amazon, eBay, QVC Group, Etsy, Wayfair, and Zara. Many large companies have international operations.